Enemy in the Shadows
by spudtrooper
Summary: This story takes place five years after Marines to the Rescue. Walker is finally managing to live his life with the injuries he had suffered during the attack when Marcellinio sends a man out to kill him. Will the Rangers be able to stop him? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**I started this story to hopefully kill the writer's block I have on my other stories. May not update this for awhile. Hoping to get more of it written before I post another chapter. This starts off five years in the future from Marines to the Rescue.**

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**Five Years Later**

The alarm rang which woke Walker up from a deep, much needed sleep. He grumbled, reached out to turn the annoying sound off then rubbed his face into his pillow. After a few minutes he finally forced himself to get up to start breakfast for Angela, Ray and him. It still took him some getting use to to being a stay at home dad, but because of his reading problem, epilepsy, and bum right eye he could no longer be a Texas Ranger. He really missed the action, especially since now, the kids were in school, he gets bored rather quickly.

Very slowly he got up, rubbed his hands through his hair then made his way to the bathroom. Here he took his seizure medication which he didn't like since it made him dopey. Unfortunately, about two years ago he suffered several grand-mal seizures in a span of just a few months. This made Doctor Hayden rather worried and he had upped Walker's medication. Not only that, he was forced to get CT scans every six months.

He made his way downstairs where his kids were already up, watching cartoons in the living room. His youngest, Ray came running to him with a huge smile on his face. It amazed Walker how much his son looked just like him. Heck, Ray even had that same goofy smile as he. He picked up Ray who gave him a huge hug around the neck.

"Dad, I want pancakes this morning!" He turned to Angela. "And so does Angie!"

Angela quickly stood up with her arms crossed. "We had pancakes yesterday! I want french toast!" She stomped her foot then began to pout, a habit she had gotten into a few months ago.

Walker didn't like this attitude and let Angela know it by the look he gave her. She quickly uncrossed her arms, huffed once more then went back to watching cartoons. He then turned his attention to Ray who appeared hurt.

"We'll have pancakes on Saturday. That way, mom can have them with us." This got a big smile from his son. "Now, get ready for school. I'll call you down once breakfast is ready."

He watched his son climb up the stairs then made his way into the kitchen. As he finished mixing the french toast mix, a knock came at the front door. This early in the morning, more then likely it was either John or Trivette with his partner, Billings. On occasion Mike would surprise him, but he wasn't a morning person and it took something important to wake him up before noon. Weird, another knock didn't come. Curious he made his way through the living room where he quickly saw that his daughter had opened the door.

"Hey, what have I told you about opening the front door?" Walker quickly went pass his daughter, took a quick glance at his porch and front lawn then closed it. "Remember, what I told you about…"

"Dad, you are so paranoid." Angela rolled her eyes then handed him a manila envelope. "Somebody dropped this off for you."

Walker took the envelope from his daughter then waved it at her. "Where are you getting this attitude? Thought I raised you better then that."

Angela sighed heavily. "Dad, I'm tired of you protecting me. Katie told me that I should act more grown up so you don't worry about me more." She swallowed hard at her father's look. "Don't worry nobody was there when I opened the door."

"I know, but you need to be more careful." He gave her a big hug. "Get ready for school. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."

His daughter nodded with a pout. "Sorry, dad." She pulled back and glanced down at her feet. "I just want to be grown up though."

"You will be, but you're still a kid." He smiled at her. "Now, get ready."

Walker patted his daughter on the shoulder then made his way back to the kitchen. He wanted to see what was in the envelope, but breakfast for his kids came first. He threw it on the dining room table then went back to fixing the french toast. He'll check the contents when the kids went to school. Hopefully it wasn't something important. But what if it was?

His attention quickly went back to the envelope which he had picked up to study. Wonder where this came from? Who dropped it off? He flipped open the flap to see what was inside and was interrupted by Ray who came bounding into the dining room with Scooter in tow. His son hugged his legs then begged him for breakfast. The envelope will have to wait.

After breakfast, he drove his kids to the bus stop saw them leave for school then made his way back to his house. On the way he got a call on his cell phone. Weird, he rarely got calls. He checked the number to see it was Doctor Hayden.

Worried he quickly flipped the phone on. "Hey, Doctor Hayden. Did you get the results back?"

"I did. Results are negative, for now. Though we are studying an area that could be problematic in the future. Don't worry right now, everything is okay."

Walker slowed his truck down and pulled over to the side of the road. "Doc, how serious?"

"Not serious. Don't worry. I'll let you know."

"But you said it was problematic. How can it not be serious?"

Hayden laughed. "Because I'm not worried about it. Don't worry, that's why we have you doing the CT scans twice a year now." He sighed heavily. "However, I would like to make that three times a year now. Are you willing to do that?"

Walker rubbed his face, his fingers tracing the scar on his left cheek. "I can do that."

"Great, I'll see ya in four months. Don't be afraid to come in if anything happens."

**Back at the House**

The house was really quite which meant that his father hadn't returned from dropping the kids off. Mike sat down on the swing, checked his watch then sighed heavily. Well, he could just make himself comfortable or he could wait here. Deciding on the former, he reached into his coat pocket for his keys and unlocked the front door. As soon as he opened the door the smell of french toast hit him like a wave. This got his stomach to growl.

Quickly he made his way to the kitchen to see a note on the refrigerator door directed to him or John. He loved his father, always thinking of others. As he opened the refrigerator door something caught his attention. He pulled the plate of french toast out then went to the dining room table where a blank manila envelope sat.

He ignored it and went to heat up his toast as the front door opened. Leaning back just slightly he was able to see the front door. It was his father and by the looks of it, he took his seizure medication. He will eventually take a nap, unless he fights off the drugs. Which he has a tendency to do.

"Hey dad!" Mike threw the toast in the microwave, heated it up for a minute then took it back out. "Thanks for breakfast!"

Walker came walking into the room with a smile. "No problem." He gave Mike a hug then sat down at the dining room table. Here he grabbed the manila envelope and opened it. As he pulled out the contents, he instantly dropped it. "Call Trivette."

"What for?" Mike stepped up to his dad to see he had gone very pale. "Dad, what's going on?"

"Pictures of the two youngest." He held up a piece of paper so Mike can see the crewed drawings on it, a way to make fun of his reading problem. Only thing was, he still had difficulty reading patterns. It took him a minute to get what it was trying to say and when he did his heart skipped a bit. "They've been watching us."

Mike shook his head at the paper, his heart skipping a beat at seeing pictures of his young siblings playing at a park. "Who would do this?"

"The only names that come to mind is Vinnie Marcellinio and Jonathon Harris." Walker's mind flashed back to the day in front of the gym where Clyde Brookdale tried to kill him. Since that day, six years ago, him and John were closer then ever. "But why now?"

"That's a good question." Mike dialed Trivette on his cell phone and began to pace. "Hey, Jimmy, it's Mike. Can you come to my father's? Yeah, it's urgent. Thanks." He flipped his phone closed then patted Walker on the back. "You look like you're about to pass out. Why don't you go into the spare bedroom and take a nap."

His father waved him off. "I'm fine." He turned to Mike with that goofy smile of his. "Don't worry, I won't fall asleep."

Mike grabbed the pictures and shook his head. "Maybe this is just a sick joke."

"I'm not sure if it is. I'm hoping so." Walker rubbed his face. "Maybe I should pick the kids up from school." He stood up too quickly and began to sway. "I need to lay down."

Once Mike got Walker comfortable on the couch he flipped his phone open and called his brother. "Yeah, John I need you to pick up Ray and Angela at school. Nothing really serious, just want to keep an eye on them. Sure, take them out to eat and to the park. Just keep a close eye on them. Thanks." He turned to his father to see he had passed out. "Rest up, dad."

**Somewhere in Dallas**

The news was really troubling Trivette, so much so he almost didn't kiss his wife, Erica good-bye before he left the house. He wouldn't hear the end of it if he did, especially with how her moods tend to swing because of the pregnancy. Just thinking about having another kid brought a huge grin to his face. Three yeas ago, Erica gave birth to Marcus, who to this day still brought Trivette so much joy. But now they were expecting another little boy in June, just three months from now. Boy, he couldn't wait to have another son.

He picked up his cell phone then dialed Billings number. "Hey, Billings this is Trivette. Walker got a suspicious package today on his front porch." He listened to his partner as he replied then nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm ten minutes out. See ya there."

As he drove to Walker's house his mind went back to that horrible day when he got the news that would change their lives forever. He couldn't believe it has been five years since that day and many things has changed since then. For one, there was Walker who had to retire because of injuries sustained in the attack. Even though his friend had made a miraculous recovery there were still issues to this day that he had to deal with. One being the seizures which Doctor Miller and Doctor Hayden thought would go away in time. However, they still plagued Walker's life, which left him constantly on medication. It was hard to think of Walker on daily medication, he had hoped by now he would be completely healed.

Then there was John and Michael, men who had become family to him. It was hard for him to think they were Walker's children, however they did have quite a bit in common with their father. For one, they shared his stubbornness which he had encountered a few times and they even had the same dry sense of humor. But what amazed him most about the sons was the fact they somehow inherited that sixth sense that Walker had when it came to dangerous situations. He only knew this by talking to them and listening to their stories about their time in the military.

He turned left, onto the narrow paved road that led to the Walker's residence. He knew this route by heart and could practically drive it with his eyes closed. As he neared the dead end he pulled onto a gravel driveway where he could see Mike's car parked in front of an old, gray pickup. He parked behind the truck, grabbed his hat from the front seat then got out. He was greeted by Scooter, who had gained weight in the last few years and now just hobbled around.

"Hey, glad you can come so quickly." Mike walked across the lawn to Trivette. "Dad's asleep on the sofa. Should be out for an hour. Come on in, envelope is on the dining room table."

Trivette nodded as he scratched the old dog between the ears. "What about Angela and Ray?"

"Already taken care of. John is picking them up from school. As for Alex, she has an important hearing today. Which means no interruptions until at least five." Mike made his way up the porch steps then held the front door open for Trivette and Scooter. "I'm hoping it's somebody playing a cruel joke. But I have a feeling it's not."

As Mike went to the dining room to get the envelope Trivette sat down on a rocker in the living room. On the couch laid Walker, who appeared to be in a deep sleep. In the last few years his friend had put a lot of weight back on, but still remained skinnier then what he was before the attack. Wonder why that was? He's working out more, in fact a lot more since he's retired. Maybe age is finally getting to him.

"Here it is." Mike handed him the large manila envelope. "Whoever it was knew about dad's problem with words. But, thanks to the newspapers everybody in the Dallas metropolitan area knows he has problems reading."

Trivette pulled out the pictures of Angela and Ray, his heart aching at what he saw. "They were taken at a park near their school. This isn't good." He glanced at the crude drawings. "It has to be Marcellinio or Harris. I'll get the word out."

**Somewhere in Dallas**

The strip club was rather busy as usual, but Vinnie Marcellinio wasn't here for pleasure. He made his way through the building until he got towards the back. This place use to be an old warehouse, so there was plenty of room that the paying visitors did not see. For his trip, he had to make his way to the basement which held his true business: weapons and drug trafficking. As he opened a door labeled, fire exit only he was greeted by one of his guards. This guard has been with Marcellinio for quite some time and actually smiled as his boss walked by him.

He smiled back then made his way down the long, thin hallway till he got to a set of stairs. As he climbed down the stairs his cell phone began to ring in his suit pocket. Quickly he fished it out, checked the number then flipped it open.

"Harris, did you deliver the message?"

"Yeah, I did." Harris sounded a bit nervous. "I did like you told me to. Now, what do I do?"

Marcellinio approached a door with a thumb lock. "Keep an eye on them. He knows something about Calone. And Brookdale got himself caught." He pressed his thumb on the pad which unlocked the door in front of him. Once opened he stepped into the large underground warehouse of black market supplies. "In two weeks we make our move."

"Right. But Walker is much healthier now. It'll take something big to bring him down."

"I told you, don't talk about that on the cell phone!" Marcellinio sighed heavily. "Just get the job done. I don't care how you manage to do it, just get it done." He flipped the phone shut then shook the hand of Jarod Williamson, aka Smokes. "How is everything going down here?"

Smokes smiled. "Same old, same old. However we did get a huge order in from a man in California." He handed Marcellinio a folder and disk. "And I got some top grade coke from Cuba coming in later tonight."

"I knew there was a reason why I hired you." Marcellinio suddenly got an idea. "Smokes, you took martial arts. How good do you think you are?"

"They don't call me Smokes for nothing. Why?"

"I want you to start sending messages to a certain law officer. I guess you can say this will be your final test to prove your loyalty to me." Marcellinio glanced at the man before him, realizing he could pass as Walker's brother. "I've never noticed before how you look like the officer in question. That might prove useful to you."

Smokes shrugged. "Whatever helps. When did you want me to start?"

"As soon as you can. I'll get the information for you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Walker's Residence**

The first thing that greeted Walker as he awoke from his nap was a sense of grogginess. It took him several seconds to figure out what had happened to him and why he was laying on his back. He must have fallen asleep, which meant he was out for over an hour. Very slowly he sat up to see John on the rocker reading a story to Ray. His youngest son glanced up, gave Walker that grin of his and jumped down off of John's lap.

"Dad!" He tackled Walker with a hug. "Preschool was great! Just wish I could have stayed longer." He said with a pout.

"I'm sure you will tomorrow." He hugged his son then turned his attention to John. "Where did Mike go?"

John stood up and stretched. "Talking to Trivette and Billings on the front porch. How you feeling? You look worn out."

"It's the meds." He checked his watch and would have bolted up right if Ray wasn't sitting on his lap. "I'm late for reading classes." He gently lifted Ray off his lap. "John, watch the kids for me. I'm going to have Mike take me this time."

"Sure thing. You know they're safe with me." He went to the front door, cracked it open then said something to the men outside. Soon, Mike appeared in the doorway, his keys dangling in his hand. "Want a ride this time, huh?"

Walker nearly blushed in embarrassment. "Yeah, I'm still kind of groggy from the medication."

"No problem." Mike scooped Ray up into his arms and gave him a big hug. "How's my little man doing today?"

"Awesome! I can count to ten!" Ray held up his hands and began to count for Mike. "See, soon I can count to twenty!"

On the porch Trivette sat on one of the chairs, talking away to Billings about the case and how important it was to put it as priority. So far, Clyde Brookdale has yet to be sentenced for attempted murder all thanks to evidence not matching up to eye witness accounts. It frustrated Trivette to no end how a man like him is able to sit in prison without a worry in the world and his victim has to endure days of medication and therapy just to live a normal life.

Billings sighed heavily as he leaned back into his chair. "I'm not sure if we have a case yet. We'll log it as evidence, put a red flag on it and see if anymore of these notes turn up." He glanced at the front door as Walker came walking out with his two sons. "Man, they look just like him, especially John."

Trivette took a glance that way to see Mike with Ray in his arms and behind him, Walker who appeared rather groggy. It hurt him so much to see his once strong friend so dependent on medication that made him feel absolutely lousy. With the three of them standing so close to each other Trivette could easily see the resemblance in the two men and child. Then John came walking out which sent chills up Trivette's spine. Though he and Mike were identical, John took after Walker more, especially in the face. He was a spitting image of his father. Whereas Mike's face was a bit more square and his build was a tad skinnier then his brother's.

"Going to take dad to therapy. Be back in about three hours." Mike gave Ray a big hug then gently lowered the young boy onto the porch. "Thanks Trivette and Billings for being here."

"No problem. Walker, let me know how it goes. Okay?"

Walker nodded then smiled at his close friend. "Yeah, will do."

He glanced at Walker's face to see the grogginess slowly ebbing away. However, his right eye drooped ever so slightly which always gave him a drugged look. Then there was that scar on the left side of his face which was clearly visible even with the beard. Daily reminders of the attack that nearly cost Walker his life.

Billings shook his head as Walker went to Mike's car. "It's a shame, what happened to him."

"But if Brookdale didn't attack him then he would have never met his sons. No matter how painful it is to say it, it was meant to be." Trivette sighed heavily as he watched Ray run out into the front lawn going after a slow moving box turtle. "I just hope this letter was a joke and nothing more then that."

**Two Hours Later**

The reading and writing therapy always annoyed Walker, especially since his brain could never keep up with the tasks at hand. As he read the guide, his therapist Terry Mist sat in front of him writing notes and giving him pointers. He stalled out at roughly a fourth grade reading level and may not progress any further. This embarrassed him to know end, especially when his daughter corrected him as he read her stories. And soon Angela will be further along then he was at right now. How will she react to his disability as she got older?

Terry sighed heavily as she smiled at Walker. "It seems that therapy may no longer be needed. You seem to be doing rather well at this reading level. Has it hampered with your life?"

Walker swallowed his pride. "A little bit. When reading a menu or items for my Kickstart program. I always have to have somebody," He sighed heavily as his pride tried to take over. "Whenever I get information in for the Kickstart program I either have to have my wife read it or one of my sons."

"I see. Unfortunately I think that may be your life." She saw Walker's shoulders slump. "You suffered a serious head trauma, one that should have left you dead." She saw his eyes rolling and shook her head. "I know you have heard this many times, but it's true." She sighed heavily then laced her hands on the table top. "For example, I see a woman weekly that was abused by her husband. She suffered the same type of trauma you did. However, unlike you she has problems with math, words, patterns and even has short term memory loss. It's been eight years for her Walker and she still has yet to progress any farther then simple first grade problems."

Walker felt guiltier then ever and he knew that was Terry's intention. He knew he was luckier then most and thanked God every day for it, but the fact that he could barely read always played with his mind. He had graduated high school with honors and attended college, but now he could barely read a children's book. He felt as though there was something terribly wrong with him. He rubbed his face then glanced back down at the book that laid open before him.

"Sara had an idea that might help her out." He read slow so he wouldn't make a mistake. "She will help her bro…ther with the fort. But where would they get the supplies."

"Walker, it's okay." Terry seemed to genuinely feel sorry for Walker. "You've been hiding your emotions for so long. You should let it out someday."

"I'm okay, really." Walker took a deep breath then smiled at Terry. "Thanks though."

Terry jotted down some notes then scooted her chair back. "Have you ever returned to the scene where the attack happened?"

"No." Walker's voice was real low as the thought of going to that alley brought back unwanted memories. "I'm sorry." He cleared his throat and took a deep, shaky breath. "When the time comes for it, I will go back."

**An Apartment in Irving, Texas**

The paperwork laid strewn all over his dining room table as Jarod Williamson glanced over every minor detail that will help with his job. He was rather surprised to see how much effort Marcellinio put into researching this ex-Texas Ranger's life. But he understood why after a long briefing by the boss. Apparently that Ranger had stumbled upon something six years ago that could put away Marcellinio for life. Thankfully Clyde managed to beat Walker enough to leave him without memory of that day. However, if he did remember chaos will began in the black market community. It seemed the Ranger found out the locations of all of Marcellinio's warehouses and had went to talk to Manny Calone that night, most likely to fish out information.

He took a deep breath then rubbed his hands through his short brown hair. "Where to began." He began to tap the folder in front of him then flipped it open to reread the information on Walker which included an extensive background check. He now knew everything about his victim's past, but he didn't see the point. "Why did you want me to know this Marcellinio?"

After he went through the paperwork for the fifth time he stood to his feet then stretched. He will have to began soon, or the plan will fail. Wonder if this will really work? Messing with a Ranger, especially Walker like he was about to could get him killed. Well, that's the risk he will have to take. Especially since Marcellinio is paying him a good hefty sum to do his job.

He cleared his throat then grabbed his cell phone. "Here goes nothing." He dialed the number given to him and waited patiently for somebody to pick up on the other line. Finally, a voice and it sounded eerily like him. "Hey, this is Isaac Smith. I'm calling for a Cordell Walker."

"This is him. How can I help you?" The tone of Walker's voice told him of his curiosity.

"Well, this may sound a little strange, but I got this number through a friend of mine. You see, I'm adopted and I have this feeling that we may be brothers." He made sure his southern accent was thicker then usual. "I was wondering if we can meet up?"

"My brother? I'm sorry, but I know my parents only had me." Walker sounded almost annoyed.

"I know it sounds strange. Listen, can I at least email ya my picture with my cell number. Then ya can call me back if ya want."

Walker sighed. "Sure. You can send it to my friend's email."

After Jarod jotted down the email of one, Ranger James Trivette he said good-bye then flipped his phone shut. Fantastic, now he'll send a picture of him and wait for the call back. Hopefully his email won't get ignored.

**Rehabilitation Center**

That was a strange phone call and it came from an unlisted phone number. Why did Walker get a bad vibe from Isaac Smith? He shook his head then returned to his reading drills, his mind not able to concentrate on the tasks at hand. The man had said there was a possibility he might be Walker's brother which seemed so far fetched that he almost laughed. Though he had twin sons without knowing, so having a brother could be possible.

"Hey dad." Mike walked into the room, gave Walker a light hug then sat down next to him. "How's the reading coming along?"

"It's doing okay." Walker rubbed his face then closed the book he had been trying to read for the last thirty minutes which got him an irritated huff from Terry. "I've been reading the last paragraph for twenty minutes." He sighed heavily as he turned to see Mike have a look of disappointment on his face. "Fine. I'll keep reading."

Walker flipped the youth novel back open then began to read the paragraph once again. This time when he got stuck, Mike was there to lend a helping hand. It embarrassed Walker so much to get help with a simple task such as reading, but he had to swallow his pride. No one has made fun of him, at least not to his face. In fact it seemed everybody genuinely cared and helped him out with his disability.

After thirty minutes Terry patted his hand, a sign for him to stop. He took a deep breath then closed the book, thankful that he didn't need to read anymore. Terry jotted down some notes in his folder then flipped open a calendar.

"Okay, we're going to start doing bi-weekly checkups now." Her attention went to Mike. "It'll be up to you guys to keep him in line." She grinned as she took out several workbooks from a filing cabinet behind her and handed them to Walker. "Work on these every day then bring them with you each appointment. Just do a couple of pages a day. And don't forget to read."

"I won't. I promise." Walker shook Terry's hand for a shake then stood up. "You want to go to C.D's?"

Mike nodded. "Sure, let's go." Once outside of Terry's office he turned to Walker with a smile. "So, you got homework now." He handed the youth novel to Walker. "So, what is with the call?"

Walker stepped up to the elevator, pushed the down button then turned to his son. "Some guy saying he's my brother." He shook his head. "He's sending a picture to Trivette's email. Speaking of, I need to let him know." He flipped open his cell phone as he stepped into the elevator. "I want him to look into this guy before I meet him."

**Company B**

"Yeah, I'm at the Company. Hang on, let me get to my computer." Trivette made his way to his desk and sat into his chair. "Okay, an email with picture…" He sifted through the many emails till he finally found the one he was looking for. "Got it." He clicked it open and leaned back in surprise. "Walker, this guy could be your twin!"

"A resemblance means nothing. Mike, just…" Walker must be talking to his son for a bit, there was a long pause. "Sorry about that. Just look into him. I have a feeling Isaac Smith isn't his real name. Try that new face recognition program the Company got."

"Will do. I'll let you know." Trivette saved the man's picture then opened the face recognition program. "Will you be at C.D.'s for dinner?"

"Sure will. See ya then." After Trivette hung up the phone he quickly went to work on the picture of Isaac Smith. "Come on, something has to come up."

While the program was searching he got up to get a cup of coffee and a muffin. He would once again miss lunch, which would now make it three days in a row. And Erica kept asking him how he was loosing the weight. He chuckled to himself as he snatched up a banana nut muffin from the tray. With his steaming cup of coffee in hand he sat back down at his desk just in time for Billings to pay him a visit with a thick, manila folder. He knew instantly what it was and placed his mug down so he could take the item from Billings.

Billings sat down on the edge of the desk. "What do you got there?"

"A strange man got hold of Walker's cell number and called him." This got his partner to quickly perk up. "He told Walker that he might be his brother and would like to meet up with him." He turned his attention to the computer to see he got a match. "Jackpot!"

Quickly Billings got up to look at the computer screen. "Jarod Williamson, a detective from Galveston, Texas. On non-paid leave for suspicion of evidence tampering. Currently still under investigation with the department along with the Texas Rangers." He shook his head. "It makes no sense why he would contact Walker now."

Trivette had to agree with Billings, this didn't make sense at all. "He either wants something or he's actually telling the truth." He scrolled down to read the information on Williamson. "Says here he lived in an Oklahoma orphanage till the age of four, when he was adopted to a family in El Paso, Texas. Exact date of birth is unknown, but the year is 1953."

"That would make him about two years younger than Walker." Billings leaned down to get a better look. "Man, he could pass as Walker's twin. What if it proves true?"

"Then Walker's life is just full of surprises." He picked up his desk phone. "I'm going to call Galveston PD and see what they have to say about this."

**Marcellinio's Warehouse**

The room wasn't brightly lit, only had one bare bulb hanging from the low ceiling. In the middle sat a man, tied to a chair with only his boxers on. He has been tortured off and on for nearly three days and has yet to say a word. This irritated Marcellinio who knew the man was an undercover cop sent to bust his ring. He spit out a few sunflower seed shells then shook his head at Gordman, the man who has been interrogated the supposed officer.

"You are for certain he knows nothing?" Gordman nodded as he cleaned his knife with a rag. "Very well, finish him and dump his body where it will be found."

Marcellinio patted Gordman's back as he exited the small room to head towards his office. That would make the fifth possible snitch in less than a year. He spotted Smokes walking down the hall towards him with a few folders in his hands. It took several weeks for him to fully trust Smokes, but even then Marcellinio still had a bad vibe about him. Early on in the hiring Smokes had told him flat-out he was an ex-cop who was being investigated for crimes he didn't comment. Why that would lead him towards a path of crime, Marcellinio would never fully understand.

He stopped Smokes who appeared lost in his own world. "Have you contacted the Ranger?"

Smokes pulled his attention away from the folder he had been reading to look up at Marcellinio. "That I have." He took a deep breath. "What do you want me to do, exactly?"

Marcellinio waved for Smokes to follow him into the office. "Shake things up a bit." He sat down at his desk. "If your plan works out, you'll do some damage. Even though it may be small it'll get the Walkers thinking." He took a drink of his coke as a man walked into the office. "Yes, what is it, Peyton?"

"Update on Calone." Peyton shook his head. "Sir, we have all reasons to believe Calone called Walker that night." He stepped to the desk and laid down an envelope. "Here's some pictures that were taken that night."

Curious Marcellinio quickly ripped open the envelope to take a look at the pictures that were inside. There were only five pictures, but all of them showed Calone talking to Ranger Walker. Wonder who took these pictures, because whoever did needed to be thanked. But why would these turn up now, five years after Walker had the talk? He held up an image which showed Calone showing Walker what appeared to be a map. From what he had heard, Ranger Walker had a photographic memory before Brookdale smashed his head in. So, whatever he had seen that day was still locked inside his damaged brain.

"Get a copy of these pictures, write a note and send it to the Ranger's own personal address." Marcellinio shook his head. "Where's Calone right now? If he talked to Walker, surely he has talked to other officers since then."

Peyton smiled. "He's here right now and has been set up in the room."

"Very well, began extracting information." He turned his attention to Smokes. "This raises the ante. I want Walker here so I can see him slowly die for myself. Take your time, don't want to rush things. More than likely he doesn't remember a thing from that night, but if the Rangers are desperate they could do hypnosis therapy."

Smokes nodded his head. "Right. I'll work that into my plan." He quickly took his phone out of his front pocket. "It's him, excuse me."

Marcellinio glanced at the pictures once again then tapped one in particular. "Walker knows something, but what does he know?" He lifted the picture to get a better look. "What did you tell him, Calone? What do you know Walker?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Two Days Later**

The gymnasium wasn't as full as Walker hoped it would be and he had to thank the flu epidemic that has been sweeping through the schools. He hoped his children would stay clear of it, but Ray appeared to be coming down with something. That's all he needed was a sick four year old kid at home. He took a deep breath then nodded at his lead instructor to finish the classes.

As Toby Henderson took the students through the end of class drills he made his way to the back of the gymnasium. Here, he grabbed a towel from his gym bag, wiped his face then turned his attention to the class.

"Bow to Mr. Walker!" The students turned in unison and bowed to him, which Walker returned, his heart swelling up with honor at his students' smiles. "Turn, bow to me and to the flag!"

Once class was bowed out, the students quickly dispersed to the bleachers to pick up their gym bags and other belongings. Walker threw his towel back into his bag just as student, Gabby Gonzalez came running up to him.

"Mr. Walker, something has happened to your truck!" She led him to the gym door, pushed it open and pointed to his truck where spray paint had been sprawled all over it. "Sorry sir, didn't see who did it, Tommy saw it when he went outside."

Walker nodded his head, thanked the young girl then walked to his truck to see the local gang graffiti sprawled all over it. "Not again." He rubbed his hands through his hair as he went to the front of the vehicle to see they had egged it as well. "Dang it!"

Toby came up to his side, his face showing his anger. "It's the Hillstreet Mafia." He glanced around at the graffiti which decorated the neighborhood. "Those little punks…"

"Toby, it's okay." Walker blew through his lips then turned to the teen. "I'm going to go in and call the police. Get this on record." He patted Toby's shoulder. "Why don't you change into your street clothes? I'll get someone to take you home today."

Later that day Walker stepped into C.D.'s still furious at what had happened to his truck. That would make it the third time the Hillstreet Mafia had tagged his vehicle since he began teaching at that school six months ago. Unfortunately it came with his line of work and he knew it will happen again. Wonder what Alex would say about the vandalism?

He walked to a booth in the back then sat down wearily, his face buried in his hands. Judy, the waitress handed him a glass of water then asked him what he wanted. He told her the usual and she left with a smile. Within minutes he was soon greeted by Trivette and Billings who sat across from him with heavy sighs.

"Are you ready to meet Williamson?" Asked Trivette.

Walker's head snapped up. "That's tonight, isn't it?" He groaned then shook his head. "As ready as I can be." He smiled as his wife stepped up to him with Ray asleep in her arms. "Hey, Alex." He stood up, got their son from her then gently laid him against his shoulder. Ray stirred slightly, his head lifting up with a confused look on his face. "It's okay, little guy. Just go back to sleep." As his son's head fell back onto his shoulder he slowly sat back down.

Trivette sighed heavily as he checked his watch. "Williamson should be here in about twenty minutes. Do you want us to be here or nearby?"

"Nearby, don't want to scare him off if he is involved." He stroked his son's back as the nerves kicked in. "Did you figure out the identity of the officer who was found this morning?"

Billings nodded. "Detective Jose Gonzalez." He sighed heavily as he shook his head. "We have word that Marcellinio found and now has Manny Calone hostage." He turned to Trivette then sipped at his water. "Why Calone, I don't know? Unless he knows something that you know. And if that's the case, Marcellinio might be after you."

Walker gently handed his son back to his wife. "It's about that time." He took a deep breath as Judy handed him his meal. "Thanks, Judy."

Judy smiled. "No problem, Walker." She gently rubbed Ray's back. "Will he have chicken nuggets tonight?"

Alex gave a nod. "Not so sure, he's not feeling too good. I'll have my usual though. We'll be sitting over there." She pointed to a booth closer to the front door where it was a bit more quieter. "Have fun, cowboy."

Walker kissed his wife then took a deep breath. "Definitely, should be interesting."

The bar was located down in the Fort Worth Stockyards which appeared to be more of a tourist trap than anything else. There appeared to be several buildings and other events that seemed to scream the old west. Jarod Williamson parked his car a ways from the bar, in a communal parking lot and slowly made his way down the crowded street. It was evening on a weekend and he could see several people stumbling around obviously drunk. What would drive somebody to eat or even hang out here?

As he stepped into the bar he instantly saw the Ranger's wife and kids sitting at a booth by the door. Walker's wife glanced up, her mouth instantly dropping open at the site of him. He smiled at her then glanced around the bar till he spotted Walker sitting closer to the back. As he glanced around the bar he made sure he remembered where Trivette and Billings sat, along with Gage and Sydney with their two year old daughter. Once he committed there locations to memory he made his way to Walker's booth.

Walker quickly stood up and smiled at Williamson. "You must be Isaac Smith." They shook hands and Williamson was rather surprised at the Ranger's grip. "Please, sit down."

As he sat he took a good look at the man before him, his brain going through the many injuries Walker had suffered because of Brookdale. He could easily see the scars that traced the man's face, especially a deep one on his left cheek. There was also his right eye which appeared almost smoky in appearance. Wonder if that was because of the damage done to it? It also drooped slightly which gave the Ranger a slight drugged or worn out look. Then there was the circular scar on the man's throat where a breathing tube had to be inserted to keep him alive. Man, Brookdale really did a number on this man.

His attention went to the man's right wrist where he saw a thick, pink scar running vertical on both sides of the arm. His photographic brain remembered the Ranger had to have a steal rod put in after the final fight with Brookdale. He almost laughed at how Brookdale managed to injure the Ranger numerous times.

Walker took a deep breath then laced his hands on the table top. "I know you're not Isaac Smith." This didn't draw a reaction from Williamson, instead he leaned back into the booth's vinyl seat and waited for the Ranger to continue. "You're an officer from Galveston named, Jarod Williamson. Use to be a detective for homicide."'

Williamson applauded then leaned forward, a smile on his face. "I see ya friend, Ranger James Trivette is on top of things." He sighed heavily as he shrugged his shoulders. "Had to change my name in order for ya to see me. I've been all over the papers and knew with ya history, that you may have suspicions about me."

"That I do. And I hope you understand." Walker took a drink of his tea then turned his head to look at his wife and children. "What do you really want with me?"

"Listen, my intentions are noble." Williamson took a piece of paper out of his jean's front pocket and slid it across the table. The adoption statement he just handed Walker was legit. It was the only valid evidence Williamson had of his blood family. "Unfortunately, it doesn't say much."

Walker picked up the letter and began to read it slowly. Williamson knew he had problems reading, so he waited patiently as Walker's finger traced the page. After a few minutes he put the paper down and motioned for Ranger Trivette to come to their table.

Trivette patted Walker's shoulder as he picked up the paper. "It's all legit. Doesn't say much, just states his family was from Choctaw, Oklahoma and that they gave him up for adoption. There's some legal stuff mixed in, but it's just a statement, nothing else."

"Thanks." When Trivette left Walker shook his head, his face slightly pink. "I have problems reading." He sighed heavily as he handed the paper back to Williamson. "My family isn't from Choctaw, sorry."

Williamson faked a frown then slowly nodded his head. "I see." He folded the paper and put it back into his pocket. A small part of him had hoped that Walker was indeed his brother. He has spent too much of his life being alone and in a way he wanted to be comforted by the fact that he could possibly get to know his blood family. "Can we do tests anyway? Ya know, to make sure?"

"Couldn't hurt." Walker smiled. "It would be crazy if we were brothers. That would make another part of my family that I never knew about." He let out a slight chuckle then sipped his tea. "If you want, we can go to the Company tomorrow and do the tests."

Williamson sipped at his water. "Will do." His voice faded as he saw Walker's eyes glaze over. He glanced around him to see if anybody else spotted it then turned his attention back to the Ranger. "Walker?" _This had to be a seizure_, thought Williamson as he watched the Ranger's hands twitch ever so slightly.

Walker's hands finally stopped twitching as he rapidly blinked his eyes, but it didn't take away the puzzled look. Williamson glanced up as Trivette walked up to the table with a smile.

"It's just a small seizure, he'll be okay." Trivette patted Walker's shoulder. "Hey buddy, you know what happened?"

"I had a seizure, right?" Walker's voice showed his confusion as he grabbed his head. "I'm going to lay down." He glanced up at Williamson to show eyes that held not physical pain, but more of a deep, emotional pain. Wonder what it was like to be inflicted with epilepsy? "Sorry about this. I'll call you tomorrow, to let you know when I'll be at the Company."

Williamson nodded. "Will do." He stood to his feet and stopped Walker as he tried to do the same. "Just rest. I'll see ya tomorrow."

**Next Day**

The strip club was rather busy as Marcellinio made his way through the building towards the warehouse. As he stepped in, Howard nodded his head and smiled at him. Marcellinio returned the smile then proceeded down the long hall till he got to the stairs. From here, he did his usual routine which lead him into the large, underground warehouse. Once inside he went down a short hall till he reached the room. Even before he opened the thick, steel door he could hear the man whimpering inside.

As he unlocked the door, a man greeted him with a rifle. "Oh, it's you boss." Gordman opened the door wider and waved for Marcellinio to come inside. "Great timing, I think he's about to crack." He turned his attention to Martin who had apparently shocked the man numerous times with a cattle prod. Marcellinio could see the bright, red blotches that covered the man's chest and arms. "I think you should hear this boss."

Marcellinio went to a folded chair by the wall, grabbed it then sat it in front of Calone. He straddled it backwards so he could rest his chin on the chair's back piece. "Calone, Calone. You know why you're here, don't you?"

The older man whimpered as he nodded his head. "Yes, but I swear I only talked to Walker that night." His voice shook from pain and fear. "You gotta believe me." He screamed as Martin shocked him in the shoulder. "But, I did give him something." Calone looked up, a grin spreading across his bruised face. "You know that two million that went missing? And the warehouse that I told you existed, but you could never find? Walker knows where all of it is at."

This got Marcellinio so angry he swiftly stood up and threw the chair to the side. "What are you trying to tell me?!" His voice echoed in the small room. "You were behind the missing product! Why! What was your motive!"

Calone chuckled. "Walker, told me that if I proved to him that I was on his side I wouldn't get jail time. We talked on the phone briefly and that night, I showed him the locations of all the goods. He didn't need a map, said it was too risky. So, he committed it all down to memory." He began to laugh even more. "He knows where every one of your warehouses are, Marcellinio."

Martin shocked the man in the neck which made him twitch violently. As he pulled the cattle prod away, he shook his head then slammed the handle into the man's face. This broke Calone's nose and it began to bleed uncontrollably.

"I told you what I know! Now, just kill me!" Calone screamed out as he pulled at his restraints. "Just get it over with, Marcellinio! I'm not going to talk!"

Marcellinio rubbed his face as he was faced with a serious dilemma. This man knew of the locations of the missing loot and Marcellinio knew, no matter how much he tortured Walker, he would never get the information from the Ranger. But he couldn't keep this man alive. He had to make an example out of this man, to show that if anybody did talk they would suffer greatly for it. After several minutes of pacing he waved at Martin then left the room.

The door opened behind him letting out Calone's screams of anguish as Martin finished the task he had started. Gordman closed the door then dug into his suit's coat pocket till he found the packet of sunflower seeds he had just in case Marcellinio got a cigarette fix. He thanked his guard, quickly took the bag and ripped it open.

He had quit smoking three years ago when his uncle Bobby died from emphysema. His uncle laid in a hospital for weeks, suffering from pain and literally coughing up pieces of his lung. He didn't die an honorable death which made the mafia criticize the Marcellinio family. Vinnie didn't want that to happen to him and he quickly dropped the smoking habit. But it left him cranky and sometimes downright bitter, especially during stressful situations.

Gordman shook his head as they walked towards his office. "Walker should get the pictures today and Smokes' plan is moving forward." He glanced behind him as Martin stepped out of the room, his shirt splattered with blood. "I'll get the body out of here."

**Company B**

It always pained Walker to walk down the halls of the Company, but he was always greeted with smiles and even sometimes hugs. This time around his visit was to Daniel Newborn, a chemist for the Texas Rangers. Daniel had taken samples of DNA from both Walker and Williamson and it will take about three days to get a result. Till then Walker will have to wait patiently for the news. Part of him wished that Williamson was indeed his brother, but another part of him still didn't trust the man. For some reason he sill got a strange feeling about Williamson.

"Dad!" He turned around as John came running up to him, a large cardboard envelope in his hands. "I was at your house to pick up some sparring gear that I had left and saw this had come in the mail. Thought you might be interested in it."

Walker took the envelope from his son to see that it didn't have a return address. Curious he ripped the tab then slowly opened it, unsure of what laid inside. He could see photos and judging by the graininess they weren't taken with a good camera. As he pulled them out, John moved to his side to get a better look. Both of their mouths dropped at what they saw.

John quickly turned his head and spotted Gage walking down the hall. "Gage! Come here, quick!" When their friend approached them John showed Gage the pictures. "What are these?"

Gage snatched the pictures from John, his eyes going wide. "Where did you get these?"

"They came in the mail for dad. Whose that man with my father?"

"A suspect." Gage sighed heavily then turned his attention to Walker. "Walker, do you remember meeting Calone?"

Walker shook his head. "I don't remember any of this." He flipped through the photos, his face showing his confusion. "What are they trying to say?"

John took the envelope, peered inside and saw a small note on the bottom. "There's something in here."

Gage took the envelope, went to a desk then shook the contents out. Once on the desk he used a pen to turn the paper around so he could read it. "Walker knows something. Calone talked to him that night. We need to know what." He shook his head. "That's it." He turned to Walker to see him still confused. "You have no idea, do you?"

"No, I don't." Walker glanced at the photos to see a part of him long gone because of the attack. These pictures were the last images of him as a Texas Ranger and it made him angry. He didn't know when the attack on his life had happened that night, but surely it wasn't that much after this meet. "Maybe I should go back to the alley? It could jar something."

Did that just come from his mouth? Walker quickly put the pictures down as his hands began to get clammy. For the last few years just the thought of going back to that alley always got him to panic. He didn't know why, but he was too embarrassed to talk about it. After all he was Walker, a man with no fears, who always faced anything that came to him with a positive attitude. If only people knew that ever since his return from the hospital several years ago he fought off depression almost daily.

Trivette stepped up to them, lifted the pictures then turned to Walker. "When do you want to go back down there?"

"I didn't know you were here." Walker's voice betrayed him and it showed his nervousness. He swallowed hard then slowly nodded his head. "Yes, but I don't want Alex to come. She's been through enough, I don't want to put her through anymore."

Sydney approached them with a smile. "Got word from Dallas, P.D." She patted Walker's shoulder. "Mike finally passed. He's SWAT now, as a sniper." Her attention went to the photos which were sprawled on Gage's desk. "Who took these?"

Gage shrugged. "Not sure, Walker got them in the mail today." He sighed heavily as he put the photos in evidence bags. "This is big, Walker. We might be able to break your case with these. That or move ahead."

"That's good to know." He took a deep breath then rubbed his hands through his hair. His nerves began to take over and if he didn't calm himself down soon, he will began to visibly shake. "Guess I will go to the alley sometime soon," He took a deep breath. "If I need to."

Trivette placed his hand around Walker's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Walker nodded his head. "Yeah." He smiled at his friend. "I'm okay, just thinking. Let's go to the alley." He took a deep, shaky breath. "Before I change my mind."


	4. Chapter 4

**An Hour Later**

In all the years he has known Walker, Trivette never really took him to be the nervous type. And yet here was Walker sitting in the passenger seat, his right foot bouncing as he nibbled on his thumbnail. Did he know something about the attack that Trivette didn't know? He turned right then slowly made his way down Yearling Street which got Walker's foot to bounce even quicker. Man, this must be tearing him up emotionally. He has never seen Walker act like this before. Was this a mistake bringing him down here?

As he got nearer to the alley he could see John and Michael standing by a car with their arms crossed. Judging by the look on John's face, something wasn't right. He quickly turned his attention to Walker to see his friend had seen his son's look and paled considerably.

"We can go back…"

Walker quickly shook his head. "No, I need to do this." Once Trivette parked the car, Walker took his time getting out. "Hey John, what's going on?"

John shook his head as he approached his father. "There's a stain on the cement." He turned to Trivette. "I didn't know there was that much blood…" His voice trailed off as his eyes got slightly hazy. "If only I got there sooner."

"It wasn't your fault, John." Walker went up and gave his son a hug. "I'm here, because of you. If you didn't intervene like you did, I would have died." He turned to the alley and Trivette could have sworn he saw sweat beading on Walker's brow. "Okay, show me the way."

Very slowly John and Michael made their way down the wide alley till they stopped right before a door. Trivette had never been down here himself and when he glanced down at the cement he could easily see the dark stain that marked Walker's battle for life. His hand went to his mouth as images of Walker in the hospital went through his mind. His friend had lost so much blood that day. How did he survive?

He gradually turned to John and Michael to see both men with a grimace on their young faces. They had seen Walker at his worse that day, with his face sunken in from the brutal hits done by Brookdale. How do they live day to day with that image in their minds? He then turned his attention to Walker to see his friend leaning against the brick wall by the door, his breathing rapid. Did they make a mistake bringing him here?

He took a careful step forward as though he was afraid of startling his friend. "Walker?"

His friend's voice echoed as though it was caught inside a long thin tunnel. Since that day in the gym, Walker has had numerous flashbacks, some more brutal than his Vietnam ones. He stood there with his back against the brick, the smells in the alley triggering long forgotten memories. He swallowed hard as his head slowly rocked from side to side, his vision tunneling before him. No, this can't happen. Not here, not in front of his sons and close friend.

_Shadows. Light. He stepped into an alley, and now he knew why. A young woman had been screaming for help. No, wait, the voice had belonged to a young girl. In the alley he saw her whimpering, cowering in a doorway of a building. He had bent down to check her out, she seemed scared and hurt._

"_Run." She had said with tears streaming down her face. "Run."_

_He had felt confused then he had heard a rustle from behind him. He had turned to check it out and saw a large chunk of asphalt hurdling towards him. Then there was pain as the chunk slammed into the right side of his face. Unbelievable, unimaginable pain. He couldn't breath, couldn't see, couldn't even think. Footsteps. Voices. Somehow he had found the energy to open his eyes and saw a man. The man had an evil smile as he stood above him, in his hands he had the large stone chunk that had hit him in the face. Horror. Fear. So strong, Walker cried._

"_No…" His voice came out in a choked whisper, it didn't sound like him. "Don't…"_

_The man raised the chunk of rock above his head. Time stopped as he lowered it upon Walker's face. He slammed the object into the left side of Walker's face, pain so blinding he had let out a blood curdling scream. This had gotten the man much angrier, the hits more brutal. Walker had heard his bones shatter, had tasted the blood that pooled into his mouth. The fourth hit had finally brought on numbness. Then blackness._

"Dad!" John's voice came through the fog. "Dad! Hang in there!"

Walker collapsed to the cement, his hands just inches away from where he had nearly bled to death five years ago. His stomach began to flip uncontrollably as his body began to shake. Never before had he felt this way before and he didn't know how to take it. His stomach suddenly lurched as he got violently ill, his right hand grasping his abdomen as he vomited up his lunch.

After he threw up he fell to his side as his sons ran up to him. "I'm sorry." Walker weakly went to his knees as he wiped his mouth. "I was awake during the attack." He took a deep, uneasy breath. Should he tell his sons and his friend what he had seen in the flashback?

Trivette knelt next to Walker, his arm quickly wrapping around his shoulders. "Let's get you home."

His friend's voice showed his worry and it troubled Walker. He didn't want his friends or his family to worry about him more, he already had enough of that because of his epilepsy. Trivette helped him to his feet then patted his back.

"I'm okay, Trivette. Thanks." Walker took a deep breath then shook his head. "I needed this, really, I did." But the uncertainty showed in his voice which got Trivette to frown even more. He took a deep breath knowing he had to tell them what he saw. If he didn't, they will forever worry about him till he did. "I have something to tell you all…"

Wheels screeching quickly brought everybody's attention to the street and Walker saw a red pickup abruptly stop at the alley. The passenger window rolled down to show a man dressed all in black with a bandana covering his face. Trivette quickly reached for his gun as John and Michael tried to push Walker behind them.

"Thought you might want this back!" The man hurled an object out of the window with a laugh. "See ya around, Walker!"

As the truck sped off Trivette sprinted towards the object with Walker closely behind him. "Don't touch it, it might be evidence!" He knelt down to see a large chunk of asphalt with what appeared to be dried blood on it. Secured to it with tape was Walker's old driver's license. "You sick…" He let out a grunt of frustration as he turned to his friend. "You don't need to see this."

Walker's eyes locked onto the piece of asphalt, the weapon that made him who he is today. Instinctively his hand went to trace the scar on his left cheek as his mind replayed the images of the flashback. He felt somebody's hand wrap around his arm as it tried to pull him away, but his feet were firmly rooted on the cement.

"Dad, let's go." It was Mike and he had stepped in front of Walker. "Let's just get going."

He slowly nodded his head. "Right, let's do that." His attention went back to the alley as he took a deep breath. "Don't tell anybody about what happened here." He shook his head as he headed for Trivette's car. He then whispered to himself, "Don't want to get anybody worried."

**Late That Night**

Alex was rather accustomed to waking up in the middle of the night to check up on her husband, but tonight she found herself laying awake. Something was deeply troubling Alex, so much so all day she couldn't even look Walker in the eyes knowing he would see what she felt. She laid on her side staring at her husband as he slept. Walker has only had two seizures in his sleep, both times were rather scary for her.

From what Hayden had told her, most suffering from epilepsy die in their sleep. It was called, SUDEP or Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy and it was rather scary to know that at any given time Walker could die. Hayden and Miller didn't want to tell them about SUDEP, but after much persuasion from both her and Walker the doctors finally broke down and told them everything there was to know about his epilepsy, which included a long talk about SUDEP. Alex was very thankful, but scared at the same time.

She smiled as she watched him sleep, thankful to see his chest rising and falling evenly. When he had a seizure he will momentarily stop breathing for what seemed like hours to her then he would continue as though nothing has happened. Unfortunately she knew that there could come a day where he would stop breathing and he will never wake up again.

Without warning his breathing slowed down and Alex watched in horror as his hands began to shake. "Walker!" She quickly got up, ran to his side of the bed then grabbed hold of his quivering left hand. At least it wasn't a grad-mal seizure, it was just a localized one. "Hang in there, cowboy."

Finally after what seemed like hours to Alex's tired mind the seizure stopped. It took several agonizing seconds till his breathing finally returned to normal. After thirty minutes she gently nudged his shoulder until he finally awoke with a very confused and worried look.

He took hold of her hand as he slowly sat up in bed. "Is everything okay?" His voice was gruff from sleep, his eyes slightly glazed. "What happened?"

"You had a seizure." Alex saw his eyes get big and she patted his leg to comfort him. "It was a localized one and I'll jot down the time, the length of seizure and the type." She grabbed a steno pad by the bed and jotted down some quick notes. They had several of these laying around the house, a way to monitor Walker's epilepsy. "Lets try to get back to sleep."

Walker rubbed his face then shook his head. "Sorry to be putting you through this." He ran his fingers down his cheeks as he heaved a sigh. "Just wish things were normal."

Alex smiled up at him. "I made a vow, remember." She sat down on the edge of the bed and gave him a kiss, but he didn't return it. "Walker, what's wrong?"

His eyes lowered as he took a deep breath. "Alex, I…" He took another deep breath. "The depression, it's getting worse." She could tell this was really hard for Walker to say and it tore at her heart to see him like this. "I'm…" He shook his head. "I'm tired of being like this."

"Oh Walker." She quickly took a deep breath as she fought off the urge to cry. "How long have you been feeling this way?" She asked knowing the answer already.

"Since I left the hospital…" He sighed heavily then shook his head. "Sorry, Alex. I don't want you to worry about me." He gave her his trademark smile then glanced at the clock. "I'm going to go on a walk."

Alex got up as Walker slowly stood to his feet which showed her his bare chest. She could see the many scars that traced his chest, one in particular was where he had the tube put into his lungs while he was in a coma. Then there was another one which ran across his stomach, both scars reminders of a time they both wished to forget. He turned to her and she could easily see where the doctors had put the tube in his throat. Though it has been five years the scar was still slightly pink and rather thick which makes it quite noticeable.

His medical alert necklace glistened in the low light and she reached out to finger it. He took hold of her hand, kissed it then went to put a shirt on. Once he got his running shoes on he smiled back at her then walked out of the bedroom. This always worried her when he went on his walks around the ranch. Being alone there was a higher risk of him dying from a seizure. She took a deep, uneasy breath then got up to grab her robe. Might as well get up herself.

The day seemed to go by in a blur for Walker as he went about his daily routines. It seemed his body was on autopilot as he did his workbooks, ranch chores and other mundane activities. Before he knew it, it was time for him to make his way to the middle school to get everything ready for the Kickstart program. As he packed his gym bag he could have sworn he heard footsteps on the gravel just outside the living room window. Curious he checked his watch to see that it was still pretty early in the evening and none of his family was expecting to arrive till later.

Swiftly he went to the hall closet where he kept one of his guns high up on the shelf. Very quickly he unlocked the child protection, put a clip in then made his way to the front door. He took a deep breath as he pushed the screen door open and stepped onto the wooden front porch. His good eye scanned his lawn, his pistol at his side.

"Anybody out here!" He crept down the stairs till his bare feet hit the gravel. His one good eye swept the lawn as he crept forward. "Mike! John!"

He swept his entire front lawn and found nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe his daughter was right, maybe he was getting slightly paranoid. He took a deep breath then tried to relax his body even though his brain was still very much on alert. It was possibly just a wild animal, there have been sightings of a mountain lion in this area.

After several minutes he decided to go back inside and finish packing his gear. As he walked up the porch steps he heard laughter from behind him. He swiftly turned around, but didn't see anyone. Was he going crazy? He stepped down from the porch once again to get another sweep of the yard.

"Show yourself, now!" Walker yelled out, his heart racing. "Who's out there!"

His good eye spotted something on the rental car parked in his drive-way. Quickly with his gut out in front of him he want to check out what it was. As he got closer he could see a piece of paper sticking out from under one of the windshield wipers. He glanced around once more before he snatched the paper. As he unfolded it, he saw several long words that he knew he couldn't read no matter how hard he tried to.

This got him furious and he nearly crumpled the paper in his hands. However, he knew it would be considered evidence to his case, so instead he just glanced at again. There was a time in his life where he was able to read letters like this. To only have those days back. He took a deep breath then made his way back to the house.

"What, you can't read it?"

Walker swiftly turned around to see Harris leaning against the fence. "Harris!" He raised his gun and took aim at the man's right shoulder. "What do you want!"

"To finish what Brookdale started." He pushed off the fence then raised his hands high into the air. "Now, I know for a fact you can't shoot me. That, will be murder." He laughed harder this time as he shook his head. "You know, I've been scared to meet you, only because I knew that if I did get brave enough, I would get caught." He glanced around him, his arms spread wide. "I got a call from my man saying all your family is occupied right now. If you only knew who that man is." He kept one hand in the air as he dug into his coat pocket. "There, that shows you I have two men very close to you that are working for me." He threw an envelope to the ground then shook his head. "See ya around, Walker."

When he was sure Harris had left his property Walker went to pick up the envelope. It was rather thick and as he opened it and saw what was inside his heart began to pound against his chest. Pictures, this time of himself, five years ago when he was first admitted to the hospital after the first attack that nearly killed him. He had been told CSI had taken pictures of him the day he was admitted so as to have images on file for evidence. However, he hasn't seen them till now. And what he saw got his stomach to lurch and before he could control it he fell to his knees as his breakfast and lunch came back up. Boy, was this ever embarrassing.

This was the second time in just two days he had thrown up all because of what had happened to him. He wiped his mouth then grimaced at the sour taste that resided on his tongue. Shakily he went back into his house, put the envelope on the table by the door then went to the kitchen to get something to drink. As he chugged down a large glass of orange juice he dialed Trivette's number. His friend answered on just two rings.

"Walker, what's up?"

Walker placed the glass in the sink then shook his head. "Harris paid me a visit today."

"What! Are you okay? What did he do?"

"I'm okay, he dropped another package off." Walker leaned against the counter, his right hand going to his forehead. "Trivette, it's pictures of me from the CSI files." His voice nearly choked in his throat which made him slightly embarrassed. "I'll meet you at Jefferson Middle School and I'll give you the envelope."

Trivette sighed heavily. "Are you okay, Walker?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Walker lied. "I'll see ya in thirty minutes."

**Company B**

When Trivette got off the phone with Walker he quickly grabbed his hat then went to Billings desk. After he told the younger man what had happened he to quickly got up and grabbed his hat. This was huge news, it showed that there was a person inside the police department that had connections with Mandarro and Harris. Which wasn't good, it meant all the Walkers lives were at risk. But who could be doing such an evil thing to one of their fellow officers?

Billings briskly walked to the elevator, pushed down then turned as Alex approached them. "Hey, Alex." He gave her a friendly hug. "What's going on?"

"I saw you two leaving in a hurry. Is it Walker?" Her voice showed them that something was seriously wrong. "I just got one of my feelings…"

Trivette turned to Billings, knowing by now to trust Alex's instincts when it came to Walker. "We should get moving. Alex, I'll call you later." He gave her a friendly hug.

Once in the elevator Billings shook his head as he leaned against the brass railing. "Something's not right. Why would Harris show pictures like that to Walker? Is he trying to spoof him?" He sighed heavily and shook his head. "If so, they don't know our friend, do they?"

"No, they don't." Trivette's voice trailed off as he remembered the way Walker sounded on the phone. "But this is really getting to him. You should have heard him on the phone."

Billings shook his head. "I don't blame him. I mean, what Mandarro and his goonies are doing to Walker right now, it's digging up old memories. And what he went through was hell, pure and simple." The elevator doors opened on the first level and both of the men walked out. "I can't wait to catch that bastard. Give Walker and his family some much needed peace."

Trivette nodded in agreement. "Well, hopefully there's something inside the envelope that will help us out." He stepped outside and pointed to his left. "My car is parked right over there." He took out his keys as he descended the courthouse stone steps. "I'm just ready for all of this to end, Billings."

"I hear that." Billings stopped in his steps as his head slowly angled to the right. "That looks like Williamson in that car."

"Where?" Trivette followed his partner's gaze till he spotted a pickup parked at one of the many slots on the downtown street. "I see it. You really think it's him?"

"I'm not sure. But let's see if he'll follow us, let's go."

**Jefferson Middle School**

The parking lot was empty as usual as Walker pulled into the middle school grounds. Usually the teachers and other staff parked on the other side of the building closer to the front entrance. From here, he had access to the gym which made it easier to haul equipment inside. He parked the car, got out then opened the back driver's side door. He couldn't wait to get his pickup back from the shop, he hated driving a car, not enough space.

Footsteps sounded from behind him. "So, ya the Ranger that has been takin away our business?" Came a thick southern voice from behind him.

Walker sighed heavily as he turned around to see a young, white kid around fifteen years old standing behind him. "What do you want?"

"I want ya off this turf! This is our domain!" The kid slapped his white tank top then gave Walker a slight nod. "Thought we gave ya enough warnings, pig!"

"A little bit of graffiti and egg on my truck isn't going to stop me."

Walker spotted blurry movement out of his right eye and slightly turned his head to get a better look. What he saw wasn't good. A dozen or so Hillstreet Mafia gang members came seemingly out of nowhere, all of them carrying various weapons of some kind. He took a deep breath then turned back to the one that seemed to be the leader.

"We're here to give any officer who dares to trespass on our turf, a warning!" The teen lunged at Walker which got him to move to the side and out of the way of the punch. "He's weaker on the right side! Attack the right!"


	5. Chapter 5

The dozen teenagers rushed at Walker with all their weapons raised and before he realized it Walker was fighting for his life. He flipped some teens, slammed his fists into others and on occasion kicked a few. Unfortunately some did land hits on his body, mainly on his arms, legs and back. One finally managed to land a hit to his lower back, hard enough to take him down in pain. He gritted his teeth as he was violently pulled to the ground by several hands gripping his arms.

A fist slammed into his face, breaking his nose and causing blood to run down his throat. He fought with all he had against the arms that were holding him down and kicked out his legs and got a satisfied grunt as his left foot connected with some part of a teenager's body. He kicked out again, this time his legs was grabbed by the teens, which made him completely immobile.

"My friends will be here any minute. And trust me, they won't treat you…" Walker was interrupted by a ferocious hit to his abdomen which made him suck in air. He willed his body to tighten his abs just in time to receive three more hits. "You need to stop this…"

"Enough!" The teen in charge took a short club out from under his baggy shirt then raised it above his head. "I don't want anymore talkin from ya!"

Déjà vu suddenly hit Walker's mind and he knew there was no way of stopping the teen from slamming the club into his face. The kid swung down, slamming the club directly into Walker's weakened right eye and he could actually hear the orbit crack. He let out a grunt of pain and fought harder against the teens holding him down.

"From the papers I heard ya have a head injury!" The teen laughed at Walker as he raised the club again. "I'm goin to make sure ya don't come back!"

Before the kid could swing the club down a male voice shouted from somewhere behind them which made all the gang members scatter like roaches under a light. Walker breathed a deep sigh of relief, coughing as the air caught in his lungs. He was in excruciating pain thanks to the hits to his stomach and the blow to his eye, but that meant he was very much alive. He let out a groan as his hand went to the right side of his face to feel a gooey mess where his eye orbit use to be.

"Walker!" Came Trivette's voice as he appeared above him. "Hang on! Billings call 911!"

"Trivette…" Walker's voice was slurred from all the blood that had pooled into his mouth. He began to try and spit it out, unfortunately that just caused it to run down his throat and into his lungs. Very slowly he tried to sit up, but found the pain had taken over his entire body. "Trivette…help me…get up."

Trivette quickly shook his head and gently pressed Walker down. "No, just stay still, let me help you roll to your side." Very slowly he rolled his friend to his side which helped him spit out the fluids that had collected inside his mouth. "That's it. Just keep still, help is on the way."

His friend coughed violently once more as his hand went to his abdomen. _Must have some eternal bleeding_, thought Trivette as he cringed at all the blood. What worried him the most was Walker's right eye socket which was now just a bloody mess. He felt guilty as a wave of gratefulness watched over him. At least it was the right, if it was Walker's left he might be blind for the rest of his life. He looked up as Billings approached with a t-shirt in his hands.

He handed the shirt to Trivette as he squatted down to get a better look at Walker. "Hey, buddy. Hang in there, help is on its way."

"This is going to hurt." Trivette gently pressed the shirt to Walker's crushed eye orbit and got a loud wince as he did so. "I gotta slow the bleeding down." Walker groaned as his hand went to bat Trivette's away from his eye. "Billings, how far away is the ambulance?"

Billings took hold of Walker's hand to stop him from moving it then sighed heavily. "Five to ten minutes." He glanced down at his friend's right hand to see the index and thumb appeared to be broken. "At least he's awake and alert. That's always a good sign." Walker actually tried to laugh at this comment, but it quickly turned to a moan of pain.

Walker grabbed his stomach and without much warning threw up blood all over Billings' cowboy boots. "Sorry…my stomach."

"It's okay buddy." Billings patted Walker's shoulder. "I didn't like these boots anyway."

Trivette patted his friend's shoulder, worried that he could bleed to death before the medics arrived. The vomiting was a really bad sign, it showed Walker had severe eternal injuries that needed to be taken care of soon. On top of that, there was the eye orbit which kept bleeding which quickly soaked the shirt. Man, how does things like this keep happening to Walker? He patted his friend's shoulder as he coughed once again to get the blood out of his mouth.

After six excruciatingly long minutes an ambulance finally pulled into the parking lot and parked by Walker's rental car. A paramedic team quickly ran up to them, one instantly kneeling and checking Walker's vitals. His trained eyes instantly spotted the necklace around Walker's neck and instead of ignoring it as though it was just a piece of jewelry he actually pulled it out from underneath his shirt. After he read the information it seemed his attitude quickly switched in to a higher gear as he shone a light into Walker's remaining eye.

He took a glance at Trivette then gave him a smile. "Your friend is in good hands."

**A Block Away**

Inside the truck, Williamson sat in the driver's seat furious at what had just happened to Walker. He had been trailing the Rangers, so he had no idea what had happened to his mark till it was too late. When Marcellinio finds out about what had happened, he will suffer greatly for it. He rubbed his face then grabbed his cell phone from the cup holder on the dashboard. He quickly dialed Marcellinio's number then waited patiently for the man to pick up.

"Smokes, this better be important. I was in the middle of something."

"It is." He turned his attention back to all the activity taking place at the middle school. "Walker got himself into some trouble. Apparently he has a Kickstart program where it's not welcomed and the neighboring gang beat him up."

Marcellinio cursed. "How did you let this happen? I thought you were watching him!"

"I can only be at one place, at one time." Williamson quickly ducked as the ambulance and Ranger Trivette drove by his pickup. This made him curse, realizing the Rangers now saw his truck twice in one day. That meant he will have to dump it and get himself a new vehicle. "Listen, I'll make my first move on him when he leaves the hospital."

"That's really getting close to the deadline, you know that!"

"Listen, he's going to be in the hospital now for a good week or two." Williamson rubbed his face as his mind began to think on how he could possibly get to Walker now. "Did you want him even if he's not fully healed from his wounds?"

"Would be easier to break him…" Marcellinio's voice trailed off in thought. "Wait till he comes home, then figure out the best time to make your move."

Williamson nodded. "Got it. I'll keep in touch."

**Methodist Hospital**

The doctors with the team of paramedics pushed his stretcher through the halls of the hospital, the lights above Walker going by in a fast blur. He couldn't move to see what was happening all thanks to the straps holding him down and the Styrofoam braces on each side of his head. He did know that the paramedics had wrapped his head with gauze which blocked some of the vision out of his left eye. They had also cut his shirt off, which always irritated him. He's been through several shirts and jeans because of his many trips to the hospital.

A young doctor appeared in his line of sight as the stretcher came to a stop. "Has he had any seizures?" When the paramedics said no, he nodded with a smile. "That's really good." He shone a bright light into Walker's left eye which made him squint. "No sign of a concussion. Other then your right eye, you should be okay."

Walker grimaced as somebody gently pressed on his stomach. "How long will I have to stay here?"

"Depends on what we see in x-rays and CT scans. But, if everything goes well, a week tops. Would like to monitor your epilepsy for any sign of changes." Walker could feel as nurses put an iv into his right arm and the pain in his face slowly ebbed away. "Just relax, everything will be all right. We're going to start prepping you for surgery."

Alex ran through the hospital, her heart racing so much she didn't know if it would jump out of her chest. As she made her way through the familiar halls her mind couldn't believe her husband was here once again. How could this possibly be happening to Walker? How many more hits to the head could he take before something more serious will happen?

As she stepped into the waiting room she was met by Trivette who attempted to give her a hug, but realized his shirt was caked in Walker's blood. He saw Alex's expression then quickly shook his head with a thin smile.

"It's okay, Alex." He glanced down at his shirt then helped her to sit down. "It looks worse then what it really is."

Billings nodded his head in agreement. "He's awake and coherent. Plus, as far as we know, he hasn't had a seizure yet. That's a really good sign." He glanced up as Doctor Miller came walking into the room. "Miller, glad to see you in charge."

Miller smiled at the people who he had grown to like as dear friends. "Walker is going to be just fine." He saw everybody, especially Alex breath a deep sigh of relief. "His nose is fractured, which only needs some minor surgery to fix. Also his index and thumb are broken on his right hand. As for his eye, I'm afraid one of the metal implants that we had put in several years ago, shifted during the hit and punctured the eye itself. We will be removing the eye, so as not to cause any infection then try our best to reshape the orbit."

"What about him vomiting up blood? He was complaining about his stomach." Asked Trivette, the worry obvious in his voice.

"We've done several tests and see nothing wrong. More than likely the blood that he threw up was inside his lungs. Probably caused by blood from his broken nose. However, he does have several bruises and that will leave him rather sore for two to three weeks."

Alex wiped away the tears that began to stream down her face. "When can we see him?"

Miller checked his watch. "He's going into surgery, right now. I say about two, maybe three hours." He smiled once again at the friends then nodded his head. "He's doing really good, don't worry. Other than his eye, he shouldn't have any other permanent injuries."

**Operating Room**

This is the second time Doctor Bowen has operated on this gentleman and he was glad to see his handy work had mostly stayed fully intact from the hit. However, he did cringe at the sight of the metal implant which had pierced cleanly through the eye. He grabbed what he needed from the tray to his left then began the delicate procedure of removing the piece of metal.

"Sarah, dab the blood away as I pull." With patience only a surgeon will have, he slowly got the piece of hardware out and quickly put the implant in a piece of cloth which was held out by one of the many nurses in the room. "How's his vitals?"

After he got the information that he needed he took a deep breath then began to work on the eye itself. With the help from a pair of special magnifying glasses he was able to see the tiny nerves and vessels he needed to cut to get the eye free. He could see previous scarring from the last surgeries on the cornea, which had altered the man's vision. Well, the man didn't have to worry about that now, and in fact this surgery may help take away some pressure.

As he began the ever so delicate surgery he noticed movement out of the corner of his right eye. "Howard, what's going on?"

"His heart rate is slightly spiked." Alarms began to ring. "He's having a seizure!"

Bowen cursed as the patient began to go into a grand mal seizure. "Make sure he doesn't pull anything out!" He quickly took his hands away from the eye socket so as not to accidentally cut something vital as the man thrashed around. "Keep an eye on his vitals, this just might be an epileptic attack. Most likely nothing to do with the recent head trauma." Within seconds the man's body began to relax and his vitals eventually returned to normal. "According to Doctor Hayden, he rarely has grand mal seizures. We should be good, keep going with the surgery."

**An Hour Later**

After he fought in the Olympics two years ago and loss graciously to Korea, John decided to retire from Taekwondo competition to focus on a career as a paramedic. For the last few years he's been studying and studying to hopefully take the final test six months from now. Thanks to his Marine medic training classes came easy for him and he has high hopes that he will one day help save lives as a paramedic.

However, not a minute ago he was torn from his CPR class after he got a call from Mike telling him dad was once again in the hospital. This really worried him and knew that he had to get to the hospital as quickly as he could. According to Mike their dad was attacked by a gang wanting him to leave their turf. He said dad was okay, but John wanted to see for himself.

He took his keys out of his pants pocket and made his way across the parking lot. As he approached his little sports car, he spotted a man in sunglasses and a baseball cap leaning against it. Curious he was about to greet the man when he got that weird, bad feeling. He didn't like this situation at all. What did that man want?

The man pushed himself off the car then smiled at John. "You look just like him."

John gripped his keys in a way he could use them as a weapon if he had to. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Wanted to see you in person." The man shrugged then took a step towards John who raised his hands in defense. "I'm not going to harm you."

"Then why are you here!"

The man sighed heavily as he stuck his hands in his jean's front pockets. "I'm here to give your family a warning. Marcellinio is after your father. He wants him dead."

"I know that." John didn't allow for himself to relax, instead his mind went straight to fight mode. "Why are you warning us? Are you the man that has been leaving the messages for my father?"

He nodded and John could see a grimace cross his face. "Yes. Believe me, I've been thinking it through." His hand suddenly pulled out his cell phone then he let out a curse. "Listen, they were going to send somebody here, to beat you up. Another message to give to Walker. But I told them I would take care of you myself, a way to repay my boss for a mistake a made earlier today." He shoved the phone back in his pocket then rotated his neck. "I've talked too much, you'll recognize me now."

John got rather confused, especially when the man walked away and got into a car parked not too far from his. Quickly he ran up to the driver's side window and began to pound on the glass. The man took one look at him, shook his head then drove off leaving John standing alone in the parking lot, his mind trying to catch up to what had just happened. Who was that guy?

He stood there for several minutes till his brain finally caught up to what had just happened. That man had come here to beat him up, how bad, he will never know. Just the thought however did bring chills down his spine. Now, more then ever he needed to see his dad. He had to make sure for himself that his dad and his brother are safe.

**Methodist Hospital** **an Hour Later**

An hour has gone by since John arrived to the hospital and Alex couldn't help but to think he was hiding something. He has that same look in his eyes that Walker does when something terrible has happened. Not only that, he also has a unique quietness about him, just like his father when in deep thought. It was rather eerie to see Walker's sons have so much in common with their father after so many years of being apart. Made her wonder how Ray and Angela would act as they got older. Would they take after her and Walker as much as John and Michael did?

A hand gently fell upon her shoulder and she looked up to see Trivette holding a cup of coffee in his hands. He offered it to her, but she slowly shook her head. She was tired and mentally worn out from the days events, but right now coffee will only make her jittery.

"Any minute now, we should get word on Walker." He rubbed his face then took a sip of the coffee. "Can't believe this happened to him. How much more can he endure?"

"I don't know, Jimmy." She took a deep, shaky breath. "John knows something."

Trivette turned to her curious. "What do you mean?"

"He's just like his father." She smiled at this then glanced up as Miller walked into the room with a doctor they haven't seen before. "Doctors, please tell me good news."

The strange doctor nodded his head as he sat down in front of Alex. "We have only good news." He smiled as he pulled off his paper hat he wore during surgery. "The surgery to his eye was a success. We managed to remove the damaged eye without much problem and fix the orbit as best as we could. To help the healing process along we have sewn his eyelids shut and hopefully within a few months we can see if the orbit can handle a glass eye." He nodded his head. "We also did some surgery on his nose just to help him breath easier once it heals."

"What about his fingers, doc?" Asked Trivette.

"His thumb and index finger has a cast on them, which will be removed in a week to be replaced by splints." His face turned rather serious as he looked at Alex. "While operating on his eye, he suffered a grad-mal seizure. We took him to CT scans and saw nothing out of the ordinary. I believe it was an attack, caused by his epilepsy, nothing to do with the injuries he suffered."

Alex shakily wiped a tear from her eye. "He's going to be okay, right?"

"As far as we can tell, yes. He's getting moved to recovery as we speak and you can see him in twenty minutes. His face will be swollen and rather bruised from surgery, so it may look really bad, but believe me it's not. On top of that, he has several bruises all over his arms, legs, chest and back which will leave him sore for several weeks." He slowly stood up with a smile. "Doctor Miller, here will show you the way to the recovery ward's family and friend's room."

It was another long thirty minutes till Alex was finally allowed to see her husband. As she stepped into the recovery ward, memories from five years ago flashed before her. It took all she had left in her to not break down into tears at that very moment. Is her mind strong enough to see her husband in his current condition?

Miller led them down a row of curtains till they came upon the last one. Here he slowly pulled the curtain open and waved for Trivette, Alex and the brothers to step forward. Once Alex's eyes fell upon her husband, her hand went to her mouth as tears ran down her face. Michael quickly turned around and gave her a big hug, allowing her to cry into his shoulders.

Walker laid on a bed with a breathing tube coming out of his mouth from surgery. His right eye was covered in a thick bandage which wrapped around his entire head. She could see the swelling that the doctor had told her about, as well as the bruising which seemed to cover the entire right side of his face. Then there was his nose which was also swollen and bruised, with a few stitches that ran across the bridge.

She wiped her face and slowly sat down by his side. "Oh, Walker." She took hold of his right hand, making sure she didn't squeeze too hard. "Why does this keep happening to you?" Her eyes fell upon his arm where she could clearly see handprint bruises. "At least you fought back this time. That's good to know."

John stepped up to her side then gently patted his dad on the shoulder. "You keep fighting, dad, this is just a small hurdle." He sighed heavily and shook his head as he took a deep breath. "You'll be just fine. No worries."

The first thing that greeted Walker as he awoke from unconsciousness was the indescribable pain on the right side of his face. Then, there was the pain that ran across his face and some pressure which seemed to have settled in his stomach. He knew exactly what had happened to him and he began to wonder if he did loose his right eye. By the feel of it, he most definitely did.

"Walker, if you're awake, it's Doctor Bowen, I operated on your face." Came a voice through the fog in his mind. "You're going to be feeling quite a bit of pain, but the morphine should start kicking in."

He felt something being gently pulled away from his left eye and as it did he slowly opened his eyelids. His vision was rather blurry and all he could see in front of him was fuzzy ceiling tiles. Very gradually he turned his head to the right to see Alex smiling at him and he lifted his right hand to her. That was when he felt the weight of a cast on his hand.

She gently pushed his hand down. "Hey, cowboy." He tried to talk, but quickly realized he had a tube down his throat. "Ssshhh, it's okay. Just relax and go back to sleep. You're going to be okay." She patted his arm then leaned up and over to give him a kiss on his forehead. "I'll be here for you. Don't worry."


	6. Chapter 6

**One Day Later**

The ranch house was quiet except for the sound of cartoons being played on the television in the living room. Alex was upstairs in the bedroom packing a bag for Walker since he will remain at the hospital for several days so the doctor's could monitor his epilepsy. She sighed heavily as she threw in a few t-shirts, her mind still trying to figure out how Walker always ended up in situations like this. As long as she has known him, he has always got himself hurt either by gunshots or from a bad beating.

After she packed his bag she grabbed another one for herself. She will stay with Walker for at least three days, the kids will stay at Barbara's, Katie's mother. Angela should enjoy it there since her and Katie are best friends, but Ray may not. There was no one there to really keep him company, except for the family's dogs. And her poor son might be sick, which made Alex feel horrible for leaving him with Barbara.

She sighed heavily then carried the bags out of the room and down the stairs. As she placed them by the door her motherly instinct suddenly kicked in. Swiftly she looked around the living room to see that Angela was no where in sight.

"Ray, where is your sister?"

Ray turned his head away from the television screen and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, mommy. But she's mad."

"Mad?" Alex's eyes snapped open in realization. "Oh, no."

Quickly she ran out of the house and went to where Angela thought was her secret hiding place. However, Walker came upon it a few years ago while cleaning out the barn, so it wasn't all that secret anymore. He didn't say anything to Angela and left her "secret spot" untouched. Guess to allow his daughter to stew, just like he tended to do when in deep thought.

As she stepped into the barn, the strong smell of hay and horses quickly took over her senses. Walker loved horses and it scared her to death each time he rode one without telling her first. She pushed the thought aside as she quickly and quietly made her way down the stalls till she got to the very back. By a door that led out to the pasture sat an unused office. The room sat vacant for several years after Walker stopped selling cattle.

Alex stopped at the wooden door then took a deep breath. She knew she was invading her daughter's privacy, but something was troubling the eight year old. Very slowly she opened the door and spotted her daughter sitting on a shelf, her eyes gazing out the window and to the pasture before her. She slowly turned her head to Alex then glanced down at her bent knees. It appeared she had been crying, her green eyes were puffy and her cheeks flushed.

"Oh, sweetie." Alex stepped into the small room and closed the door behind her. "What's wrong Angela? Is it dad?"

Her daughter began to play with a zipper on the side of her jeans as she slowly nodded her head. "Mom, why does this keep happening to dad? Katie's dad doesn't shake or get injured like dad does. Why is dad different?"

Alex went up to her daughter and gently hugged her shoulders. "Sweetie, remember what I told you about dad a few years ago?"

Angela shrugged her shoulders. "I guess so. You said, he has epilepsy. But, why can't we fix him?" Her eyes didn't waver from the zipper she was playing with. "I want dad to be normal."

"Dad is normal, sweetie." Alex took a deep breath as she tried her hardest not to cry. Her hands began to play with her daughters long, blonde hair; twirling it with one and brushing it with the other. "Why don't we go see dad before I take you to Katie's. How does that sound?"

"No, I don't want to see dad." Her daughter's voice showed her anger. "I don't want to see him in the hospital. I want him to come home."

This reply nearly ripped Alex's heart out of her chest and it took all she had not to cry. She slowly nodded her head, knowing she couldn't force her daughter to go. What kind of mother would she be if she didn't let her children make their own decisions? However, a part of her wanted to snatch Angela up, carry her to the car and drive her to the hospital.

She slowly nodded her head as she took a deep shaky breath. "Are you sure? He really wants to see you and Ray. It'll help him heal…"

"That's what you said the last few times." Angela wiped her eyes with her forearm then turned to the window. "No matter how many times I see him, he's not going to get better."

Alex was taken aback at her daughter's mature answers and she had to wonder if her daughter had grown up too soon all thanks to what had happened five years ago. She patted Angela on the shoulder then moved just enough to get a good look at her daughter.

"Physically, he may not get better, but you coming to see him will help him out more than you can ever imagine. Remember when you fell off Humphrey and broke your arm?" Her daughter nodded. "I bet you felt crummy then, didn't you." Angela nodded again. "Dad is feeling ten times worse right now. He needs to see you two to keep him strong."

Angela took a deep breath then moved her legs till they were dangling off the shelf. Her head was bowed, so Alex couldn't see her face, but she did see the tears drop onto her jeans. It took several agonizing minutes till Angela looked up and nodded her head. Her eyes were swollen and puffy, her cheeks streaked with tears.

"This will be the last time right? I don't want dad in the hospital anymore."

"Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that." She gave her daughter a big hug. "But it'll definitely be the last for awhile." She squeezed Angela once more then pulled back. "Come on, Ray's been in the house alone. Who knows what kind of trouble he's been up to." She smiled then patted Angela on the back. "Let's pick some wildflowers for dad."

**Methodist Hospital**

It seemed that pain has become a permanent part of his life, or at least for most of it. Walker tried to move, but found that his entire body hurt. He slowly opened his good eye to see he had somehow managed to roll onto his side while he slept. This caused the oxygen tube and the wires attached to pads on his chest to get tangled. Slowly he managed to roll onto his back as his left hand kept the tubes and wires in place.

"Hey, dad." John appeared above him with a smile. "Here, let me help you." His son untangled the tubes and wires then gently patted his shoulder. "You've been out for ten hours. Started to get worried about you. How's the pain?"

Walker slowly nodded his head. "It's tolerable." He smiled up at John who had sat back down beside him. "Don't you have some studying to do?"

John laughed. "That I do." He lifted up what appeared to be a thick textbook. Then he lifted up Walker's workbook. "Once you start feeling better, need to start on the exercises." He flipped the book open with a shake of his head. "I see you have done only a few of the exercises. Terry will be rather upset about that."

"I'll get to them eventually." A sharp pain in his stomach almost made him wince. His left hand instinctively went to see what was wrong and he gently began to rub his sore stomach muscles. "Heard Mike finally got sniper."

"Yeah, he's pretty excited. Unfortunately, duty called and he's someplace in Irving right now helping out the PD." He took hold of Walker's hand then sighed heavily. "Jimmy, Gage and Billings are looking for the kids who did this to you. So far, no leads."

Walker shook his head. "They need to stop. The kids aren't important right now. Marcellinio is."

"But they could have killed you, dad." John turned as somebody walked into the room and he quickly stood up to give Alex a hug who was holding Ray in her arms. "Still not feeling good, huh?" Very carefully he took Ray from her then cradled him as he slept. "I'll sit outside with him. May not be good for dad to be around somebody that's sick right now."

Alex nodded and patted John's shoulder. "Thank you." Angela appeared at her side, her head bowed so Walker couldn't get a look at his daughter's face. "How you feeling, Walker?"

"Better now that you two are here." He smiled at his daughter who stayed rooted by Alex's side. "Come here and give dad a hug."

Angela began to play with one of the flowers she was holding in her hands. "But, wouldn't I hurt you dad?"

Walker gathered all the strength he had left in his body then slowly pushed himself to a sitting position. This left him in even more pain and much weaker, but he couldn't let his young daughter see this. She needed to see a strong man, capable of handling anything that came his way. He patted the bed with his left hand and she slowly made her way around the bed to his good side. Here she pulled herself up on the mattress then handed Walker some wildflowers.

"Thank you, sweetie." He would have sniffed them, however all he could smell was the medicine, blood and gauze that filled his nose. He faked smelling them anyway, wishing he could actually smell the beautiful scent coming from them. "They're beautiful."

Angela took a good look at her father's face, anger swelling up in her young heart. Ever since she was just two years old, her father has been in and out of hospitals numerous times. Most of the time it was to take what he calls a CT scan of his brain to make sure he was still healthy. Today though, he was here once again because he had been hurt.

Her father had a thick bandage on his right eye which wrapped around his entire head. His nose was purple and really swollen with bloody gauze sticking out of it. She knew by her mother that her dad will no longer have his eye and will have to wear a patch for now on. Part of her did admire her father for how he didn't let anything get him down, not even the seizures. But she just wished he was like any other dad and that he didn't shake all the time.

"Hey, Angela. Is everything okay?" Came her dad's voice as he gently rubbed her back.

She shrugged her shoulders then slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"How's school going for you?"

Angela sighed heavily as she began to play with the corner of the bed sheet. "It's okay. Had a math test today. Think I did okay." She tore her attention away from her father then shook her head. "How long will you be here?"

Her father gently rubbed her back. "Just a few days, then I'll be able to go home."

"But I want you home now!" Angela jumped off the bed as tears streamed down her face. "I just wish you were like everybody else!" With this she ran out of the room.

Outside in the hallway John sat on a chair with Ray curled in his arms sound asleep. He gently stroked the boy's hair, his heart aching as he felt the slight warmth on his forehead. His half-brother was coming down with a fever which meant his body was battling something pretty awful. He shifted Ray in his arms to get the boy's head on his right shoulder. As he did this he saw movement out of his left eye and turned to see Angela running out of the room.

He tried to get up, but was gently pushed down by Alex who had exited the room. She gave John a weak smile then went after her daughter. Curious he leaned forward just enough to get a glance down the hallway and as he did he saw Trivette and Billings making their way towards him. Very slowly he stood to his feet, which stirred Ray enough to get a cry from him.

"Ssshhh…It's okay, just go back to sleep." He rubbed his hand up and down Ray's back as he approached Trivette. "Can you watch him real quick? Angela just ran out of dad's room, I need to go check up on him."

Trivette took Ray into his arms then got the young boy comfortable. "What happened?"

John shrugged. "Not sure, I'm about to find out though." As he stepped into his father's room he slowly closed the door behind him. He then turned to his dad to see him looking at him, his good eye showing his sadness. "Hey, dad. What's going on?"

His father gave him a shrug then tried to reach out for a glass of water, but the slightest movement seemed to have caused him pain. He abruptly stopped then slowly extended his arm till he got the glass of water from the side table. John quickly made his way to his dad's side where he tried to help, but his father just waved him off.

"I'm okay." His father's green eye betrayed him and John could see the pain hidden inside. "Where's Ray?"

"He's with Trivette right now. Don't worry." John pulled a chair closer to the bed then sat down, gently taking his father's injured hand into his. "What happened?"

His father shook his head as he tried to get up and out of bed. "I need to see Angela."

"Hey, dad slow down." John quickly stood up to try to stop his father from moving around too much. He gently pushed down on his father's shoulders which got a grunt from the older man. "Dad, you shouldn't be moving around like this. You might pull something…"

"I'm fine." But Walker felt every bruise on his body as he tried to get up from the hospital bed. After several agonizing minutes he finally had his legs swung over the side and with John's reluctant help he managed to get to his feet. The strain in his legs almost proved too much even for him, but he had to push that aside so he can see Angela. "Is there a wheelchair?"

John quickly looked around the room and shook his head. "No. Listen, you really shouldn't be moving around so soon after being admitted."

The door opened and in walked Doctor Miller with an exasperated look on his face. "Walker, please lay back down." When Walker didn't he shook his head as a nurse came into the room. "Please, don't make me drug you. Just lay back down."

Walker slowly sat back down onto the bed then shook his head. "I need to talk to Angela."

"Just try to relax." John gently took hold of his father's legs then moved them till they were back on the bed. Then on training alone he began to check his father's nose and eye to make sure he was okay. "Don't worry, Angela is going to be just fine." He stepped out of the way as Miller approached his father's side. "Is that necessary?"

Miller nodded. "Yes, for his safety." He injected a syringe of fluid into Walker's iv then patted the man's shoulder. "You should start feeling drowsy in a few short minutes."

As his father drifted to sleep, Miller shook his head then began to study the bandage over Walker's right eye. "Luckily the gauze is on rather tightly." He turned to John then slowly began to unwrap the bandage from Walker's head. "You can leave if you want. I'm going to let this breathe for a little bit, it might be a little hard to look at."

John didn't waiver from his spot instead he continued to watch as Miller unwrapped his father's head then gently pull the large piece of gauze away from the eye. He then cleaned it which got his father to move his head slightly in his sleep. This provided John a quick view of the surgery site and what he saw shouldn't have surprised him, but it did.

Thick, black stitches ran across his father's eyelid, sewing them shut. Another thick line of stitches ran down to his ear, probably from where the surgeons had to go in and operate. Just another scar to add to the many that traced his head. He sat down once again and took his father's hand into his.

"Everything will be okay." He watched as Miller left the room and Michael came walking in. "Mike, glad you can make it."

Michael sighed heavily as he sat in the chair next to John. "It was a false alarm. How is he holding up? It looks rather painful."

"It is, but he's doing okay, considering." John took a deep breath. "Angela ran out of the room. I'm thinking it might have hurt him emotionally." He shook his head. "The poor girl, she never really got to know her father before all of this happened."


	7. Chapter 7

**Somewhere in Dallas**

The phone in Williamson's jean pocket rang once again and as he checked the number he saw it was Daniel Newborn from the Texas Rangers. His heart began to pound as his palms turned clammy. This was the call he has been waiting on for most of his life. Strange how he suddenly turned sides once the realization hit him that he might have a family out there.

He flipped the phone open and took a deep breath. "Hello, Williamson."

"Hey there, I got the test results back." Newborn sighed heavily. "Do you want to pick it up since Walker's in the hospital?"

Williamson slowly nodded. "Yeah, I'll be right there. How is Walker?"

"Last time I heard, he's doing really good. He's at Methodist right now."

"Thanks." After Williamson hung up the phone he took a deep breath then started his car. "Here goes nothing."

Back at the hospital, Alex walked through the many halls in search of her young daughter. With Marcellinio out there, after Walker she hoped and prayed nothing had happened to Angela. After frantically searching the halls for her daughter she finally decided to head back to Walker's room. As she stepped out of the elevator she spotted Angela sitting in some chairs close to the family and friends waiting room.

Her heart skipped a beat as she ran to her daughter. "Angela, are you okay?"

Angela shrugged then wiped her face. "Why does dad have to be in the hospital again?"

Alex took a deep breath knowing she had to tell her young daughter the truth. "You know how your father works for underprivileged kids?" Angela nodded. "Well, some kids don't like that and a group of gang members attacked your father."

"That's real mean of them." Angela's fist tightened. "Will it happen again?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure." Alex slowly gave her daughter a hug. "But I know this will be the last time for awhile that your father will be in here for being injured."

"I hope so." Angela sniffled then pointed down the hall. "It's a man that looks like dad."

Alex slowly glanced up to see Jarod Williamson walking down the hall towards them. Instinctively Alex got up to stand in front of Angela as the mother inside told her to not trust this man. In her peripheral vision she could see Mike leaving Walker's room then stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of Williamson.

Williamson appeared a little flustered and it amazed Alex to see such similarities in this man and Walker. He even blushed like her husband did when trying to hide something rather personal. He took a deep breath, tried to say something when John came walking out of the room next.

"Oh, Mike you…" He turned to Williamson, his face quickly turning into surprise and malice. "You!" He rushed at the other man who didn't even brace himself as John slammed him against the wall. "What are you doing here!"

Williamson held up an envelope. "I have the results back."

Alex could see the look in John's eyes quickly change to pure hatred and as she turned to Williamson she thought she saw not physical pain, but emotional torment in the dark, green eyes. John shoved Williamson once again against the wall which got a squeak from Angela. She quickly turned around to see her daughter had brought her legs to her chest and was now hugging them with her head buried in her arms.

"John Matthew Norris!" This got John to snap his head towards Alex, his own green eyes finally clearing up. He turned back to Williamson, scowled then dropped the man to the ground. "Mike, take your brother someplace to cool off."

Mike slowly nodded and gently grabbed hold of his brother's arm. "Let's get some air."

John pointed a finger at Williamson. "We will talk when I get back!"

After the brothers left the older man slowly picked himself up off the floor then shook his head. "Don't worry, I deserve it." He sighed heavily as his eyes drifted to the envelope in his hand. "I haven't opened it yet. Been waiting to do so in front of Walker."

Alex gave the man a gentle smile. "He's sleeping right now. Probably be out for a few hours."

Williamson slowly nodded. "I see." He handed Alex the envelope. "It's the tests results to see if I'm related to Walker."

"Oh." Alex glanced at the piece of paper in her hands then smiled at Williamson. "Come into his room. He would like for you to be there."

She turned to Angela who was staring at the both of them and that was when Alex realized that everybody that seemed to be related to Walker had green eyes except for little Ray. He had deep brown eyes that were nearly black. She can already see in her son that he will take after the Cherokee. He had high cheekbones, a light tan skin tone and dark brown hair. Hopefully he's okay with Trivette and didn't cause her friend too much trouble.

Angela wiped her face on her sleeve then sighed heavily. "Can I go with Uncle Trivette and Ray?"

Alex knelt in front of her daughter and gave her a hug. "Sure you can. They're in the waiting room down the hall." She smiled at her. "Tell Trivette that I told him to take you two out to eat." This got Angela to beam. "Anything you want, okay?"

"Okay!" Angela gave Alex a hug then ran off down the hallway.

Williamson cleared his throat as his left hand rubbed the nape of his neck. "I should get going."

"Let me check on Walker to see if he's waking up." She waved at Williamson. "Come with me."

Reluctantly Williamson followed the woman into the hospital room where his attention quickly went to Walker. The ex-Texas Ranger laid on his back, his left hand across his bruised chest. His right was in a thick cast from under the fingernails all the way up to mid-forearm. But what really took him by surprise was the man's right eye which was sewn completely shut with thick, black stitches and the entire right side of his face was badly swollen from either the hits he had taken or the surgery. It was weird to see his target in the hospital, so weak and defenseless. Made him feel for all the men Marcellinio had interrogated at the warehouse.

Alex stepped up to Walker's left side, took hold of his hand then gently squeezed it. "Walker, honey you awake? You have a visitor." When he didn't respond Alex slowly sat down in a chair next to him. "Go ahead and sit down."

Williamson did so, feeling rather uncomfortable. "I should leave…"

"It's okay, really." She could see her eyes waver from him. "How do you know John?"

He knew the question was to come up eventually, but even still he didn't know how to really answer it. "We ran into each other a day ago." His voice showed that he was nervous and he quickly cleared his throat. "Sorry, but I will explain when he gets back."

"Alex…" Walker's voice made Williamson's head snap to the bed. "…the boys…"

"They're outside, they'll be back shortly." She slowly leaned over, gave her husband a light kiss on the forehead then sat back down. "You have a visitor."

Walker swallowed hard then rolled his head towards Williamson. "Good…see you…" He drifted back to sleep leaving Williamson once again alone with Alex.

"Sorry, he fights the medication, especially the ones to help him sleep. So, he has a tendency to drift in and out of consciousness." She began to rub his hand. "Jarod what made you think Walker might be your brother?"

Williamson shrugged. "Both from Oklahoma, both have Native American backgrounds. That and I look eerily like him." He chuckled as he remembered some interesting times he had while in the police academy and as a detective in Galveston. "There was a time, as a detective in Galveston that I had to grow a beard for an undercover mission. For days after that I was called the, 'Walker Clone'."

Alex gave him a smile. "You sound just like him, but your voice is slightly deeper." She turned her attention to her husband's bruised and swollen face. "It would be strange if you were related to him. He didn't know about the twins till they saved his life and now, if you prove to be his brother, it will truly be miracle."

"Why is that?" The question had escaped his mouth before he had a chance to stop himself.

"He's always been alone in life. Never had any real family till he met me and the boys." She rubbed Walker's hand then smiled. "Did you have any military training?"

"Yeah, fifteen years as an Army Ranger."

Jarod's voice was quiet as the guilt dug into him more and more. He was suppose to bring this man to Marcellinio to be slowly tortured to death. Now, there was no way he could do that. In the process of gaining trust he might have actually discovered family he has never known about. And what if the tests prove negative? What would he do then? He had destroyed any chance of him going back to Marcellinio after he refused to beat up John Norris. Hell, now his own employer would have a hit on his head.

"…still here." Walker's voice was stronger then the last time and as Williamson glanced up he could see the man smiling at him. "What are you doing here?"

Alex patted his left hand. "He got the tests results back."

Walker's face seemed confused. "Results…" Jarod could see in the man's one good eye the concentration it took for him to think through the medicine fog. Then, "Oh, the results." He turned to Jarod. "Have you looked at them yet?"

"Nah, I've been waiting for you to wake up." He waved a hand at Alex. "Go ahead, open it."

Even though his brain was still foggy from sleep, it was racing as Walker watched his wife slowly open the envelope that rested in her hands. He turned to Williamson to see a near-mirror image of himself. There were a few things that were different, one being his hair color and complexion. Williamson had dark brown hair and appeared to have quite a bit of Native American in him.

He turned to his wife to see she had unfolded a piece of paper and began to read it. Then her hand went quickly to her mouth which got his heart to race. There was no way Williamson could be related to him. But then she saw the tears forming around Alex's eyes and knew in his heart what the results were.

"He's my brother?" Walker asked, his voice low.

Alex slowly nodded her head as a smile spread across her face. "You're twins."

Walker's eye snapped open and all the pain he had felt in the last day quickly vanished as he looked over at Williamson. This man, sitting before him was his twin brother. That would account for several similarities. But why would his parents hide that little known fact from him? Was it because they were ashamed that they couldn't afford to take care of two children? Or was it something completely different? He or Williamson may never know the real answer behind that. All Walker knew now was he had a brother, a blood relative he didn't know about for over fifty years.

Williamson leaned back and rubbed his face. "Twins?" His voice cracked. "Identical or fraternal?"

"It says, identical." She glanced at Walker then at Williamson with a huge smile on her face. "You all sure don't look identical. Even John and Mike look more like each other then you two do." She shook her head. "This is great news."

The door to the room opened and in walked John and Michael, the former still brooding after what had happened in the hallway. Walker could see Williamson getting slightly uncomfortable as John approached him. He could see in his son's eyes hatred towards the man sitting before him. What did Williamson do to John to get him so angry?

"So, how badly were you going to beat me up?" Asked John, his voice still laced with malice.

Walker quickly sat up, getting lighted headed as he did so. He grabbed his head with his good hand and realized for the first time he didn't have his bandage on. Very slowly his left hand went to his right eye orbit and he could feel the think black stitches that held his eyelids closed. He didn't know why this got him so embarrassed, but it did and he could feel his cheeks blushing.

Williamson was about to reply to John's question when his eyes spotted Walker's hands frantically twitching. Then as though somebody had turned on a switch Walker's whole body began to spasm as he let out a few grunts. Unsure of what to do Williamson just stood up to allow John to go to his father's side. He then watched as Alex grabbed a worn notebook from the bed table, flip it open then began to write information down. After several long seconds Walker finally quieted down, his whole body tensing up once more before it fully relaxed.

"Grand mal seizure. He rarely gets them." John checked his father's pupil in his left eye then turned to Alex. "Has he been taking his medication?"

Alex quickly looked up from the notebook, her eyes getting misty. "I'm not sure, John."

John pushed the nurse help button. "Dad, are you awake?" Walker rolled his head around, but didn't respond. "Dad…"

Miller came into the room, quickly brushing pass Williamson to get to Walker. "This isn't good." He checked Walker's vitals then turned to a nurse who ran in with a tray of syringes. He grabbed one, injected it into an IV in Walker's left hand then checked his pupil. "We're going to take him to get CAT scans. It'll take a few hours, so you all should eat."

Michael slowly nodded. "I understand." He reached around Alex's shoulders and gave her a hug. "Let's go. Dad is in good hands with Doctor Miller here."

Outside of the hospital, Alex took a deep breath as her emotions nearly overtook her. She hoped and prayed that Walker will be okay, and it was just his epilepsy and not because of his current head trauma. And if it was brain damage how will it effect her husband?

"You did this to him!" She turned to John in time to see him slamming his fist into Williamson's face. "You're a part of this! I know who you are now!" He grabbed Walker's brother by the shirt collar and pulled him up. "You were hired to kill my father!"

Alex quickly ran to John and frantically pulled at his arms. "Let him go! He's your Uncle!"

This got John to quickly release his hold on Jarod's shirt. "What?"

She felt the tears stream down her face as she turned to a stunned Michael. "Test results came back. He's your father's twin brother."

John took a step back from Jarod as he shook his head. "It can't be. This man visited me yesterday and gave me a warning. He works for Marcellinio." His voice showed his disgust as he pointed a finger down at the man sprawled on the cement. "There is no way I'm related to him."

Gage came running up to them, worry written all over his face. "What's going on here?"

Williamson slowly stood up, a hand going to his bleeding nose. "I deserve that." He grimaced as he gently wiggled it around. "Yes, I was hired to kill Walker." He turned to Gage who had put his hands on his gun. "I had been undercover for several months. Unfortunately, I forgot where I had come from." He lowered his head. "I'm ashamed of what I did and deserve to be punished for it."

"Wait." Gage stepped up to Williamson. "Are you saying that you've been undercover with Marcellinio?"

"Yeah, I have. Listen, I can tell you everything you need to know about that man, but I need to know that Walker and his family will be safe."

"Why the sudden change? What's in it for you?" Asked John.

Jarod shook his head as his shoulders slumped forward. "Before today, I always had thought I was alone, that I had no family. But then the results came back and I found that I do have family. It woke me up to what I had become."

Alex stepped up to Jarod then looked him eye to eye. "Did you harm my husband in any way?"

"No. I was suppose to yesterday, but the gang…" Alex slapped him on the cheek so hard it left a hand imprint. "I know what you must be feeling now…"

"I can't believe you!" Alex's fists tightened as anger swelled inside her. "You played us all along!"

"It was my job, I had to." He shook his head. "If I didn't, I wouldn't have gotten so far with Marcellinio." He glanced around frantically. "Listen, I've said too much in a public area. But you've got to trust me, I will not harm your family in _any _way."

Gage's face suddenly snapped into realization. "Wait a second, what's going on here?"

Alex still fuming over what Jarod had told her, pointed at the man before her. "He was sent to kill Walker, but found out that he's Walker's brother." She took a deep breath as she stepped up to Jarod. "You promise me that you have not harmed my husband in anyway?"

"I promise. It's Johnny Harris that left all the warnings. I can explain later. I need to call my partner in Galveston and let him know what has happened." He looked Alex right in the eyes. "Walker is my brother and even though I just found out less than an hour ago, I consider him family. I won't let anything happen to him."

She sniffled then gave Jarod a huge smile. "You have the same sincere look Walker does." Her eyes went to the handprint clearly visible on his left cheek. "I'm so sorry, my emotions…"

Jarod chuckled. "I deserved it." His attitude quickly shifted as his eyes darted to the parking lot. "Shit. Harris." He turned back to Alex. "Let's get something to eat. I'll write down everything I know and the location of Marcellinio's warehouse."

"Wait? Did you just say your Walker's brother?" Gage's voice showed his confusion. "Man, I feel like I just watched a soap opera. I expect a lot of explaining at lunch."


	8. Chapter 8

In a car watching the Walker family and Williamson head for an SUV sat Johnny Harris with a cell phone in his hands. He had to let Marcellinio know about Williamson. Something had to be done to stop the man from talking to the police. He dialed the familiar number then waited patiently for his employer to pick up and when he did he could tell Marcellinio was not happy to have a call.

Harris raised his hands in protest as he watched the SUV carrying Williamson drive off. "We got a rat."

"What! Who!" He could hear Marcellinio talking to a woman then heard rustling. "Are you watching the rat right now?"

"Yeah, it's Smokes. Couldn't tell exactly what had happened, but he seemed to be pretty close to Alex Cahill-Walker. Though, John Norris didn't seem too appreciative of him." Harris shook his head. "What do you want me to do?"

Marcellinio cursed. "Bring him to me. I would love to see him beg for his life."

"Sure thing. When do you want me to do that?"

"When we bring in Walker. Wait a few weeks, let him get settled in. Then, get one of my men to get him. As for the ex-Ranger, he'll be easy to take down. You can do that job on your own."

Harris nodded. "Understand. I'll get the job done."

**Later That Night**

It was still hard for Alex to believe that Walker had a twin brother and knew it would take her quite awhile to get use to seeing Williamson. Right now Jarod sat in a holding cell at Ranger Headquarters, more for his safety then anything else. Unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to see Walker anymore unless accompanied by a detective or a Texas Ranger. But the story he was telling to the Rangers could lead to the biggest black market case in American history.

Walker stirred in his sleep then rolled his head towards Alex. "How long have I been out?"

"Several hours." She turned as Erica handed her a cup of coffee. "Thank you."

Erica rubbed her shoulder. "No problem, sweetie. How's Sydney?"

"At home with Lyana. I think she's coming down with what Ray has." Alex smiled up at Walker. "You had another grad-mal seizure. They had to do several tests."

"So, they drugged me again?" Walker took a deep breath then slowly sat up straighter. "I'm getting tired of having drugs pumped into me." He shook his head. "I've been in here long enough. Time for me to get going home."

Alex shook her head as she watched her husband struggle to get up. "Walker, please lay down." She stood up and gently pushed down onto his shoulders. "You had two grad-mal seizures in less than two days. Doctor Miller wants you to stay just a few more days for observation."

Walker's shoulders slumped as he got that look Alex was all too familiar with. For six years she knew her husband battled depression nearly on a daily basis. Sometimes it got so bad he wouldn't do anything, but sit at the ranch all day. It worried her to no end, but there wasn't anything she could really do except to be by her husband's side.

Erica gave Alex's shoulders a gentle squeeze. "I'll leave you two alone."

Alex reached up and patted Erica's hand. "Thank you." When Erica left the room Alex turned to Walker to see him gently fingering the stitches on his right eyelid. She gently took his hand into hers and pulled it away. "It won't be that noticeable once it heals." Walker sighed heavily and Alex could have sworn she saw him quiver. "Walker…?"

"Sorry." He turned his head towards Alex. "I was just thinking. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" Alex sat down on the bed next to him and took hold of his left hand. "Are you in pain? Is there anything I can…"

"No." Walker snapped back which almost made Alex cry. He turned to her, his face showing his obvious emotional pain. "I'm sorry. I just got a lot on my mind." He sighed heavily then shook his head. "It's not your fault."

Alex began to rub his back, being extra careful because of all the bruises that covered it. "Do you want me to leave?" He slowly shook his head. "Okay, I'll be right here." She patted his back then smiled. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." He turned his head towards her. "If you don't mind, I want a good burger."

Alex beamed. "I'll get something to eat. I'll be back in about ten minutes." She tired to give him a kiss, but he moved his head away. This got her to nearly burst in tears, but she knew she had to give him space. "I'll be back."

Walker watched as his wife left the room then took a deep breath as his mind began to race about his life. For as long as he lives he will have to be medicated to take care of the seizures and will have to frequent the hospital to see if the epilepsy has caused any brain damage. And now, he may have scarring from the eye surgery. Will he be able to wear a glass eye? Or will he forever be stuck wearing an eye patch?

The door to his room opened and as he looked up he saw Doctor Miller walking in with a nurse directly behind him. He groaned when he saw a needle on the tray and knew it was probably pain medication. Why can't they just give him Tylenol?

"I see you're finally awake." Miller stepped up to Walker's side and began to check his vitals. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." Walker allowed Miller to shine a light into his good eye. "When can I go home?"

Miller waved the light back and forth then clicked it off. "You had another grad-mal seizure. That makes two in two days. We would like for you to stay for observation." He wrote down some notes in a folder then flipped it closed. "But, if you promise me to come back for weekly checkups for a month, I'll release you tomorrow."

Walker smiled. "Deal." He shook the doctor's hand then watched as the nurse put the tray on the table. On it Walker could see bandages and other supplies to put on his damaged eye. "This will only take a few minutes. And tomorrow, we will show Alex how to dress the surgery site while you're at home."

Sure enough it only took a few minutes to clean the surgery site and to place a large piece of gauze over his eye orbit. Once securely taped in place he was offered a muscle relaxer which he quickly declined. No way was he falling asleep once again because of pain medication. He will deal with the soreness and the constant pain his way. This gut a disgruntle grunt from Miller, but he let Walker be with just a few Tylenol.

A few minutes after he left the room, Alex came walking in with a smile on her face and two take out bags in her hands. "Got you a cheeseburger with everything." She placed the bag on the bed tray then began to pull out the food. "I see Miller came in while I was away."

"Yeah, had to put the new bandage on." He smiled. "He did say I can go home as long as I make weekly visits." He grabbed the wrapped cheeseburger, wishing he could smell it. "Where's Williamson right now?"

"At Range HQ, where he'll be safe." Walker got a curious look on his face which caused Alex to rub his arm. "Walker, he's the one that was sent to kill you and the twins."

The news hit Walker harder then the kicks he had received a few days ago. "All that time…" He shook his head, embarrassed and ashamed on how he let the man play him so well. "He works for Marcellinio." He glanced up at Alex. "Is he really my twin brother? We believe somebody might be in the inside. I want another test."

Alex rubbed his arm. "We'll have Doctor Miller look into it tomorrow."

**Three Months Later**

The ranch was eerily quiet as Jarod Williamson awoke from a deep and restless sleep. He rubbed his face on the pillow then glanced at the clock to see it was nearing seven in the morning. A low grown escaped his lips as he slowly sat up in bed to rub his hands through his short brown hair. As he took a deep breath he could smell bacon being cooked which caused his stomach to growl. Wonder who was up this time? Usually it was Walker, who would cook breakfast before he started on the daily work that kept the ranch functioning.

Slowly Jarod got out of bed and made his way through the house to the kitchen where he could see Walker standing over the stove. He took another deep breath then patted his brother on the back. Bacon, eggs, hash browns with what looked to be green peppers and toast. He would have never taken Walker as a cook, but surprisingly the man knew his way around the kitchen.

At first it was rather strange to be living here, but as the days went by, Jarod got use to the ankle bracelet and the boredom that followed. A week after Walker's brutal attack from the gang, Jarod was put into protective custody for one month. After an evaluation to prove he was no longer a threat he was put under house arrest. Problem was, he lived by himself in a rented apartment and his probation strictly said he had to live with someone. So, Walker took him into his house and is even paying for the fees.

"Here's breakfast." Walker handed Jarod a plate then fixed himself one. "Just another month, right? And then you'll be going to court."

Jarod nodded as he sat down. "Yeah. Thanks again for taking me in."

"No problem, you are my brother after all."

Outside, Sydney walked up to the front door of the Walker's house then gently knocked, not wanting to wake the kids up just yet. It was her turn to take them to school today which left Gage at home with Lyana. The door opened revealing Jarod, Walker's twin brother. Sydney's eyes nearly popped out of her face at the site of him.

Though she has known Jarod for a few months, she has never seen him with his shirt off till now. He was extremely well built and in fact, more so than even Gage. Walker wasn't even this built, she's seen him spar with Gage numerous times to know. She quickly blinked then looked up to Jarod's face to see him smiling down at her. Her cheeks instantly went red and she had to clear her throat to choke back the embarrassment.

"Walker's in the dining room." He closed the door behind her and went to the guest bedroom to grab a t-shirt. "How's Lyana?"

"Doing good." Her eyes followed Jarod then her attention snapped to Walker who had stepped into the living room. "Walker, you're looking really good."

He shrugged as he sat down on the sofa with a youth novel in his hands. "Thanks."

Sydney took a look at Walker, still not accustomed to seeing him with the eye patch. Unfortunately, his eye orbit didn't heal as well as it should have and now he will have to wait three more months for another surgery. She could tell this frustrated him even though he tried hard to hide it from her and everybody else.

Jarod came walking back into the living room and patted Walker on the shoulder. "Why don't you start on the chores. When the kids wake up, I'll get them ready."

Walker nodded. "Good idea." He smiled at Sydney. "Thanks again."

"Oh no problem. I'm glad to help you and Alex out." When Walker stood up she gave him a hug. "How are things working out for you and Williamson?"

"Doing rather well. He's helped out so much with the kids and the house work. He's even teaching Angela how to do some flips so she can try out for cheerleading. Which I think she's too young for, but apparently they start early." He put the novel down then took a deep breath. "I'll be out in the barn if you need me."

Williamson watched Walker as he walked through the kitchen then could hear the back door open as he headed out to do the daily chores. Because of his ankle monitor, he was mainly stuck to the ranch house which was actually a good thing. It gave him time to think about his actions and become even closer to the Walkers. And in fact, little Ray actually began to call him uncle. It was odd, but it was a nice feeling to Jarod who thought the family would never except him in.

He turned to Sydney to see her sitting on the sofa drinking a cup of coffee. "Alex had to go in early today." He went to the kitchen to get a cup for himself then went to the living room. "So, you think Gage is ready for HQ Captain?"

Sydney shrugged as she sipped at her coffee. "He likes working in the field. Ranger Billings might take over for HQ Captain since Trivette is thinking about retiring once his second son is born." Shock spread across her face. "Oh my gosh, that's gotta be really soon!" She checked her watch then smiled. "Just a few more days."

Jarod laughed as he sat down in the rocker across from Sydney. "The Trivette's must be very excited." He took a glance at the stairs as he heard noises from Ray's room. "Sounds like the little one is awake." He smiled at Sydney. "Be right back."

Slowly he climbed up the stairs then cracked open the door leading to Ray's room. There, sitting in the middle of the floor was his nephew playing with a few action figures. Ray turned to him, beamed that smile of his and came running up to him.

"Uncle Jarod!" He jumped into Jarod's waiting arms then gave him a hug around the neck.

"Hey, Ray!" He ruffled the kids hair then sat him down on his bed. "How long have you been up?"

Ray shrugged. "Just a few minutes. What are we having for breakfast?"

"I'm thinking french toast." He smiled down at the young boy. "Let me get you ready for school."

Almost an hour later, Jarod had both Walker children fed and ready for school. Angela, who still was shy around him sat at the dining room table finishing up some last minute homework and Ray sat in front of the television watching cartoons. He checked the time then walked out to the back porch his heart beating faster as he began to worry about Walker. He should have come in by now, wonder if everything was okay.

He leaned over the railing of the back porch knowing too well if he stepped off it it would trigger the alarm on his ankle bracelet. His heart began to beat even faster when he saw Walker sitting in the lawn mid-way between the house and the barn, his hands cradling his head.

"Sydney!" He hollered as he ran inside. "I need for you to check on Walker!"

Outside Walker sat in the middle of the lawn not exactly sure what had happened to him. One minute he was walking towards the house, the next he awoke in the grass, his temple bleeding from where he had hit his head on a rock. Luckily for him, it was just a small cut and wouldn't require any stitches.

"Walker! Don't move!" He glanced up to see Sydney running towards him with a worried look written all over her face. "Hang on!"

"I'm fine." Walker attempted to stand which got his head to swim. The drowsiness usually meant he had suffered a seizure and had passed out. How long was he out for? "Don't worry about me, it's just a cut." Sydney knelt down next to him and tried to check the cut on his hairline, but he just waved her off. "It's nothing. I just fell, that's all."

Sydney took hold of his right arm then helped him to stand. "Did you have a seizure?"

Walker shook his head. "I don't think so." He allowed Sydney to help him to the back porch where he wearily sat down on one of the porch chairs. "I'll be fine."

Jarod appeared with the first aid kit in his hands. "Let me clean that cut."

"I said I'm fine. I don't want to worry Angela." Walker shook his head as embarrassment washed over him. He has only fallen a few times because of a seizure and each time he felt stupid even though he shouldn't. "I'm just going to sit here for a bit. Sydney, why don't you take the kids to school. Jarod's here to help me out if anything goes wrong."


	9. Chapter 9

She nodded. "Okay. But don't be afraid to call me if anything happens."

Later in the day Walker sat at the dining room table trying to work on his textbooks and not succeeding. Without Terry or his sons coaching him along he found it difficult to focus. Jarod had offered to help him, but it was just too awkward and embarrassing. He reread the same page over and over again, then closed the book with a huff. He'll have to come back to it later.

Jarod looked up from the book he was reading then pointed to the workbook. "Done already?"

Walker shook his head. "No, but I'll work on it again." He stretched then checked his watch. "Almost time for lunch. What did you want today?"

"Let me cook for you today. I got a killer Mexican dish that you will like." He got up and patted Walker's shoulder. "We'll one of the twins stop by today?"

"John might. Depends on if he can get time off. Mike, he's going to be transferred to Galveston. So, he's busy all day filling out the paperwork."

Jarod went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "How do you feel about him transferring down there?"

"I'm really proud." Walker stepped into the kitchen to see his brother pulling out a package of chicken cut specifically for stir fry or enchiladas from the refrigerator. "I'm hoping it will just lead to bigger and better things for him." He leaned against the counter with a deep breath. "I've been thinking about something, Jarod. What do you think about visiting the Reservation?"

Jarod snapped his head to Walker, his face showing his shock. "I thought that most of the elders didn't want you to visit anymore? You know, because you decided to focus on your life here…"

"Yeah, I talked to Elder Robert and he said he'll visit with us." Walker took a deep breath, his mind reeling over visiting the Reservation. "I only visited a few times in the past ten years. Heck, Ray hasn't even been up there yet." He took a deep breath then smiled at Jarod. "Are you ready to see the pictures?"

"Yeah, I think I'm ready." Jarod shook his head. "So, I'm really part Cherokee?"

"Where do you think you get your dark hair from?" Walker chuckled as he went through the living room and to a cupboard in the hallway. Here he has stored several boxes of old photographs so his kids could take a look at them whenever they got curious about their history. "It seems you take after more of the Cherokee than I do."

"Always wondered about my heritage. Especially since I have an olive complexion. Heck, I always thought I was Hispanic." Jarod chuckled. "Boy, was I wrong."

Walker made his way into the dining room and placed the box on the table. "Smells good."

"Thanks. It's one of my specialties."

After lunch Walker did the dishes then went back to the dining room to see Jarod flipping through one of his workbooks. Walker sighed heavily as he sat down across from his brother. Jarod handed him the workbook and pointed to an open page.

"Let me help you. Please." Jarod sighed heavily. "I know that we just got to know each other, but I've really started to love you as a brother and I'm kicking myself daily for even thinking about hurting you and your family." He took a deep breath then smiled at Walker. "Now, I'll do anything to make sure your family is safe."

Walker had to chuckle. "That's a long speech just to get you to help me." He smiled at his brother, his heart going out to the man in front of him. "Sure, you can help me."

Jarod got up and sat next to Walker. "Okay, what are you stuck on?"

After an hour of work Jarod finally helped Walker through two pages of the textbook and felt really good about it. His brother suffered from a learning disability and though it was slightly frustrating when Walker couldn't pick up the simplest of problems, it did feel great when Walker figured things out on his own. He could tell his brother got embarrassed and even flustered, but Jarod knew that was all part of his daily recovery.

Jarod closed the work book then pulled the box closer to him. "You did really good today."

"Thanks." Walker's voice told Jarod he was still flustered. "Just wish I could read normally."

"Your doing really well." He shrugged at Walker while he pulled the lid off the box. "You just have to remember, it's the head injury that's making it difficult. It's not your fault at all." He grabbed a few photos and took a good look at them. Two of them was of Walker as a young kid, the other however showed a man in a light colored shirt and dark pants. "Is this dad?"

Walker took a look at the photo then nodded his head. "That's dad. He's full blooded Cherokee. Mom was Irish." He smiled as his eyes shone with forgotten memories. "He was a great man."

For the next two hours Walker and Jarod shared stories about their childhood. Both laughed at how very similar their lives were even with both being adopted. It was amazing to see that each served in the military, both went to college and got into law enforcement. One thing that was slightly different was the fact Williamson is much more out going. While taking martial arts, he did gymnastics and excelled at it till he damaged his shoulder trying out for the Olympics as a young officer. Williamson still did gymnastics with his martial arts training to keep him fit.

Williamson leaned back into his chair with a smile. "So, do you still train in martial arts?"

"Yeah, it actually helps with my hand and eye coordination." He sighed heavily. "Glad I can get back into it after the attack." Walker shook his head. "That was a close call." His eyes went down to his right hand then he smiled. "Thanks for teaching Angela how do flips for cheerleading. Even though she hasn't said it, I know she really likes it."

"Thanks. She's picking up on it rather quickly." He stretched then nudged Walker's arm. "Have you ever thought about doing gymnastics?"

Walker chuckled. "Back in high school, I did it very briefly. Didn't like it."

His attention snapped to the back door as loud footsteps pounded on the wooden porch. He quickly stood up then turned to Jarod who looked calm, but he could tell in his brother's eyes something was wrong. A loud boom shook booth men out of their thoughts and Walker sprinted to the hallway where he kept his handgun. Quickly he took the lock off, pieced it together then slammed an ammunition clip inside the handle.

"Shit! It's Marcellinio's men!" Jarod ran back to Walker stood and shook his head. "I'm going to call the police…" His voice faded as the door to the back porch splintered then caved in. "No time, I'll pull the chord on the…"

Walker quickly spun his gun around in time to see a man club Jarod on the back of the head. His brother crumpled to the ground in a heap as a large man smirked then kicked him in the legs.

"He's not so tough." He cracked his neck then smiled at Walker. "There's nothing you can do to me. If you shoot me, it'll look like murder."

Lifting the gun and studying it with his left hand Walker aimed at the man's left shoulder. One good thing came from having one eye and that was his aim has immensely improved. However, since the last attack his index finger and thumb have been slightly tender. He pushed the pain aside as he moved slightly to get better aim. Then he pulled the trigger sending a bullet straight into the man's shoulder.

"What the hell!" The man stumbled backwards, his right hand dropping the club and grabbing his shoulder. "Jameson! Vaughn! Get in here now!"

Walker's heart began to beat hard against his chest as two more men came running into the kitchen, both with handguns. His eyes spotted the unit on the kitchen counter which sent signals to Williamson's ankle bracelet. If he could shoot that, police will arrive within minutes.

A man with a dark tan went up to Williamson and nudged him with his boot. "Let's get them inside the van before somebody shows up."

"He fucking shot me!" Shouted the first attacker. "Put the gun down, Walker! Or I will have Vaughn kill Williamson!"

"You won't kill him!" Walker aimed at the man named Vaughn as he saw movement from his brother. "I know Marcellinio wants us alive."

His brother's voice cut through the fog like a knife and Jarod almost grimaced at the ache pounding in his skull. But he pushed the pain aside as his mind quickly kicked into survival mode. He knew Marcellinio wanted his victims to be relatively unharmed so he could have them tortured later on for information. This meant that the men here could only rough him and Walker just enough to get them submissive. Perfect.

Very slowly he lifted his head up just enough so he could see Walker pointing the gun at Vaughn. Next to him cursing was Bowen who had apparently been shot in the shoulder. He must have been the one that had knocked him out. Okay, so that meant at least one of the goons was slightly disabled now. Good. His brother's eye flickered to him for one brief second, long enough for Jarod to nod his head.

He heard the explosion of the gun being shot once again and knew now was his time to act. Quickly he got to his feet and elbowed Bowen in the stomach then, as the man doubled over in pain, he kneed him straight in the nose.

"Walker! Don't you have that alert on you!" He punched Bowen several times in the face till the man finally dropped to his knees. "You know, the one that Alex forces you to wear!" He laced both his hands and slammed his fists into the back of the man's head. This stunned Bowen just enough for him to slump to the ground, groaning in obvious pain.

Walker quickly reached into his pocket, pulled out a little keychain then pushed a button. "I didn't know I would actually get to use it." He dodged Vaughn's attack then spun the gun around in his hands. Using it as a club he slammed it into the man's temple. "Are you okay?" He ducked a punch and counterattacked with a knee to the stomach then several punches to the Vaughn's face. "You took quite a…" He grunted as the man tackled him to the ground. Once again Walker used the gun in his hands as a club and pounded it into the man's face till he slumped down then rolled off of him unconscious. "You took quite a hit."

"I'm okay, I got a hard head!" Shouted Jarod who got a laugh from Walker as a reply.

The remaining man, this one named Jameson frantically glanced around then bolted out of the kitchen door. Walker slowly got up then made his way to the kitchen where he grabbed a few zip ties from one of the drawers. Then he went to both of the semi-unconscious men and secured their arms behind their backs.

"Who the hell did you shoot?"

Walker shrugged. "The third guy took a step forward. I shot at his foot to stop him." He went back into the kitchen where he grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. "Here, put this on your head." He threw it to Jarod who caught it left handed. "Police will be here shortly."

The news shocked Alex, unfortunately she couldn't leave court because of a high profile case. She had to wait, rather impatiently till she was able to leave to go home. Sydney and Gage offered to watch the children so the Trivettes can be ready just in case Erica gave birth. Alex was very thankful for this. The Trivettes needed to focus, just in case Erica went into labor.

As she pulled into the driveway she could see Gage's car parked there along with another she couldn't quite place. She parked in the lawn, got out then ran up the porch stairs hoping and praying that everything was okay. As she walked into the house she was stunned to see blood in the hall leading to the kitchen and a squeak escaped her lips.

"Alex!" Came Walker's voice from the living room. "I'm okay, nothing happened to me." He rushed to her and gave her strong embrace. "Don't worry, I'm okay." She cried into his shoulder and he slowly rubbed her back to comfort her. "That little alert you bought me came in handy after all." He pulled back and smiled at her. "See, nothing wrong with me."

She sniffled then smiled back at him. "I'm glad to know you're safe." Her attention shifted around the room to see Gage sitting on the sofa talking to a man she has never seen before and saw Billings in the kitchen taking notes. "Where's Jarod?"

"He got a nasty hit to the head. He's staying in the hospital overnight for observations."

Gage laughed. "You should have seen it Alex. He wanted to stay here with Walker till you arrived home. He even began to argue with the paramedics." He glanced at Walker then laughed some more. "You should have seen it Alex," He paused to shake his head as the smile quickly faded. "It was freaky."

"Dad!" Alex turned to see John running into the house with Mike right behind him. "You okay!"

Walker hugged both his son's then smiled at them. "I'm doing good. Don't worry about me."

Alex once again turned to her husband and saw the sincerity in his eyes. She knew then he was telling the truth, he wasn't harmed in any way. This made her to visibly relax as she slumped into the nearest available chair. Her husband has escaped this time completely uninjured and she had to smile. Just like old times before Brookdale first attacked Walker leaving him struggling daily with reading and coordination problems.

Billings appeared from the kitchen. "Okay, a team is coming over now to clean up the blood." He sat down on the other rocker right across from Alex. "Got off the phone with Captain Garrett. He wants to see this cased closed before he retires. So, SWAT is on their way now to Marcellinio's warehouse."

Mike cursed which quickly got him a slap on the shoulder from Walker. "Sorry dad. I'm trying."

"I know you want to go, but you're too close to the case." John patted his brother's shoulder. "I'm just glad you're okay dad."

Gage slowly stood up. "I should get going home. Sydney's been home with the kids for awhile." He nodded to the man sitting on the couch. "That is Agent Thompson from the FBI. He'll be staying here for a few days just in case." He went up to Alex and gave her a hug. "Do you want Ray and Angela to stay at our house for tonight?"

"If you don't mind." She pulled back from her friend and patted him on the shoulder. "I really appreciate this."

"No problem. Just take care of yourselves."

**Marcellinio's Warehouse**

The news made Marcellinio so mad he slammed his cell phone against the cement wall of the interrogation room. He knew he waited too long to send men to capture Walker and Smokes. And now, three of his men were in custody and according to his inside man SWAT team was now coming to raid the strip club. He had to get out of here and fast.

He ran out of the interrogation room and down the hall towards the underground warehouse. As he walked in he could see Gordman and Martin frantically trying to shred as much paperwork as they could. Because of Calone he was out several million dollars and couldn't recoup any losses if he was to destroy the goods located at this location. But did he really have a choice?

"Burn everything!"

Gordman snapped his head to Marcellinio. "Are you mad!"

"Most of the valuable items have been moved already. Just burn it and let's go! SWAT will be here any minute!"

Martin frantically nodded. "Right!" He ran down the hall to turn off the sprinkler system. Once he returned, he grabbed a piece of paper, lit it then threw it in the nearest box. He did this several times till he was satisfied. "Let's go!"

**Walker Ranch Later That Night**

The house was really quiet as Alex walked through it to make sure all the windows and doors were locked. In the spare bedroom, where Jarod usually slept she could see Thompson sitting on the bed looking her way. She smiled at him, waved then climbed up the stairs to get ready for bed. As she passed the bedroom on instinct she peered into it to check on Walker. She could see him sleeping on his side, his back facing her. Ever since he came home from the initial attack he found himself always tired. Several doctors visits showed that the drowsiness wasn't connected to the epilepsy or the brain damage. More than likely, it was depression.

She was about to head to the bathroom when she heard a soft grunt come from their bedroom. Quickly she sprinted in there to see Walker's body twitching ever so slightly. Thinking it was another seizure she patiently waited it out. But after a few minutes she began to get worried and reached over to shake her husband awake. Maybe it was a bad dream?

"Walker?" She gently pushed his shoulder which got a grunt from him. "Wake up. You're having a bad dream."

Walker's good eye slowly fluttered open and he appeared rather dazed as he came to. "Seizure?"

Alex studied her husband's face, her heart going out to him. Walker's face was covered in scars, most of them from the attack that nearly killed him. What took her aback was his right eye which remained closed and had thick scarring around it. Even though Walker had the stitches removed a month ago, unfortunately the eye orbit didn't heal as well as Doctor Bowen had thought. Now, her husband had to wait three months for another surgery to hopefully fix the problem.

"I'm not sure." She moved back so her husband could sit up. "Do you remember anything about what you were dreaming of?"

His eyes seemed to clear as he smiled at her. "I'm okay, it was nothing." He took a deep breath then ran his hand through his hair. "Don't worry about me." His head quickly snapped around as the phone began to ring. "That must be Trivette."

"I'll get it." She smiled at Walker. "Just sit back. I'll let you know."

An hour later Walker found himself walking down the hallway heading towards Erica's room. Next to him walked Alex who was smiling from ear to ear. The Trivettes were welcoming another little boy into their family tonight. He was very excited for his friend and couldn't wait to give Trivette a big hug.

As they approached Erica's room Walker could see the door was slightly cracked open. He gently knocked and was greeted by a very tired looking Trivette.

"Eight pounds, six ounces." Trivette beamed. "Erica wants you two to come in and see little Anthony James Trivette."

Walker hugged his friend then pulled back to walk into the room. "Anthony? Thought you were wanting to go with James Junior?"

"Decided to not have a junior." He led them to Erica who sat in a bed with Anthony in her arms. Trivette giggled as he slowly picked his son up from his wife's arms. "Isn't he cute!" He went up to Walker and held out Anthony so he could hold him.

Worry quickly went through Walker's mind at holding a baby in his arms. When Ray and Marcus were born it took him several weeks to gather up the courage to hold the little ones. He didn't want to hold a baby just in case he had a seizure. Unfortunately, the seizures effected his hands which made them shake or flex uncontrollably. And he didn't want to know what could happen if he was to suffer a seizure when holding an infant.

He took a deep breath then took hold of Anthony, praying that he wouldn't have a seizure while the little boy was in his arms. Anthony looked just like his mother, even had her lighter complexion. He ran a finger across the boys cheek then lifted him up to kiss him on the forehead. Babies were so precious and he always will have a place in his heart for them.

"He's precious, Trivette." He glanced at the door as Billings came walking in followed by Sydney. Poor Gage was stuck at home once again with the kids. "Sydney, you could have brought the kids."

Sydney smiled. "I did. Gage is with them now in the waiting room. Ray and Lyana fell asleep as soon as they got here. Angela is awake and can't wait to see her cousin."

This got a huge smile from Walker. "Cousin. I'm glad to see she thinks of you as family, Trivette. Why don't you go and get her so she can see little Anthony."

While Sydney and Alex left to get Angela Walker sat down in the chair, just in case he had a seizure. He hasn't gotten much sleep in the last few days which always led to his epilepsy attacks. Hopefully his friends will notice before it was too late. For some reason he could almost feel one coming on. Maybe it was just his nerves that made him feel this way

"He's so beautiful, Trivette." Walker smiled at his friend. "You two are very lucky."


	10. Chapter 10

**Fixed the errors. :) **

The friends stayed for about an hour till Walker realized he had forgotten the gift he and Alex bought for Erica in the truck. He apologized and went to get it by himself, not wanting to tear his wife away from enjoying time with one of her close friends. As he stepped to his truck his mind went to Williamson who was somewhere in this hospital. Maybe he should go and visit his brother after he takes the gift to Erica. He opened the driver's side door, got in to grab the gift and as he grabbed the purple gift bag he felt a presence behind him.

"Put your hands on the steering wheel." Ordered a deep voice to his left as cold steel pressed against his temple. "Do as we say and we won't hurt your brother."

Walker's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "How do I know you have him?"

"Cordell!" Shouted Jarod from somewhere inside the parking garage. "I'm sorry! They grabbed me from the hospital!"

Hearing his brother's voice really got his heart to race, but Walker had to keep calm. "What do you want me to do?"

The passenger side door opened and a small Italian man climbed inside the cab. He quickly began to search the backseat till he found Walker's pill bag. After giving it a good shake he let out a laugh and climbed back out.

"Okay, put your hands on your head." Walker did just as he was told. "See you in a few hours." Something hard hit the back of his head which sent pain to race down his spine. However the hit didn't not knock him out, just momentarily stun him enough to allow the men to tie his arms behind his back. "Don't fight or you'll be hit much harder than that."

Not too far away stood Williamson who fought against the men holding his arms and securing him in place. He watched as three men pulled his brother out of the truck, kicked him a few times then threw him into a dark van. The men holding Williamson threw him onto the ground then proceeded to beat him till he passed out.

**Thirty Minutes Later**

Alex checked her watch realizing Walker had been gone for awhile. Worried she quietly excused herself from Erica's room and made her way to the parking garage. Hopefully Walker was okay and didn't suffer a seizure which could have gotten him injured. There has only been a few times he had gotten injured, both those times were highly humiliating to him. Having a loved one with epilepsy was emotionally stressful and it took all her love for Walker to keep going from day to day.

She stepped into the mostly empty parking garage and made her way to where Walker parked his truck. As she got nearer something inside her heart quickly told her that something was not right. She spotted Walker's truck and could see that both the passenger and driver side doors were wide open.

"Walker!" She called out as she ran to her husband's truck. "Walker, are you okay!"

"Alex…"

Alex quickly went around to the back of the truck expecting to see Walker, instead what she saw got her to gasp and to run towards her brother-in-law. Jarod was crawling towards her, his face was bloody and rather swollen. She knelt next to the man who had collapsed back onto the cement. As she gently rolled him over she saw that both his eyes were swelling up, his nose was obviously broken and so was his jaw.

She frantically began to look around for her husband as she pulled out her cell phone. "Walker!" She stood up as she dialed Trivette's number. "Jimmy, I'm in the parking garage. Send paramedics here, Jarod has been injured. I don't know where Walker is." Her heart began to race as she went back to his truck to look for something. "Jimmy, his medication is missing. Do you think it's Marcellinio?"

"No idea. But stay put. I'll call this in." Alex could hear him talking to Billings then he returned to the phone. "Don't worry, we'll find Walker."

**Later That Night**

The pain was the first thing to greet Walker as he slowly came out from unconsciousness. He tried to move, but found that just caused him even more pain. Somebody slapped him several times on the cheek then yanked his head back by grabbing a fist full of hair. This got him to grunt then grimace as the hand pulled harder causing severe strain in his neck.

"You have information I want." Came a voice directly in front of him. "Unfortunately because of one of my men, you may not remember it."

"You must be Marcellinio." Walker's voice was strained from his head being pulled back. "I don't remember anything." This got the hand to release his hair and he slowly brought his head forward as he opened his good eye. Once he did he saw a small Italian man, the same one that got the pills from his truck. "What do you really want with me? You know I'm useless to you."

"I just want to see you die a slow and painful death since you ruined my business." His hand slipped into his pant's pocket as he stepped towards Walker. He pulled out a yellow prescription bottle then shook it directly in front of his face. "It took some reading to figure out this, is your seizure medication." He took a look at the bottle than threw it to a person standing behind Walker. "When do you take it?"

Walker's jaw clenched not liking the position he was put in. "Twice daily, three times if needed." He sighed heavily as he stared Marcellinio in the eyes. "Just a warning, if I don't get my medication, there is a chance my seizures will get worse."

"We can work with that." Marcellinio walked over to the right side of the room and Walker followed him to see a table with several different items laid on top of it. "Normally I let my men torture my rats, but since you're a special case I'm going to do it myself." He picked up a belt with metallic studs. "This will hurt."

He stepped up to Walker and without any hesitation swung the belt down till it smacked against Walker's chest. He let out a grunt of pain as the metallic studs dug into his skin. That was when he realized he had no shirt on. Then the belt slammed against his thighs which were also bare. Great, he was sitting here in his boxers which meant he had no protection at all as the belt repeatedly hit his bare skin.

"Hopefully as the pain becomes more intense, something will come back to you." Marcellinio slammed the belt against Walker's chest once again. "Gordman, how long do you think he'll last? Three days like the others?"

A stocky man came into Walker's view, a knife in his hands. "From what I heard he's rather stubborn. I say four."

**Methodist Hospital**

The room was surprisingly cold as Jarod came to from a deep sleep and at first he thought he was back home in bed when excruciating pain hit him. It seemed his chest and face was one fire it hurt so bad. He tried to move, but that just made things worse and he let out a groan of frustration. What the hell happened to him? One minute he was in the hospital… Everything quickly came back to him and he snapped his eyes open to only see a blurry mess before him. Was his eyes swollen? Is that why he can't see?

"Jarod, it's Gage. John's here as well." Jarod turned his head to see the young man staring at him. "How is the pain?"

"Tolerable." He winced as he tried to shift his weight. "Did you find Cordell?"

"No. But we need to. Any suggestions?"

Jarod closed his eyes and tried to think about the other places Marcellinio had. "He owns several smaller businesses around the Metro." His jaw hurt him when he talked, but it wasn't wired shut, so that was good. "I know of a few that closed down recently. Might want to check there." He swallowed hard and he saw a blurry John standing over him with a glass in his hands. After taking a few sips of water he slowly nodded. "Thank you, John. Four places have been closed down from lack of funding."

Gage quickly grabbed a notepad from the bedside table then took a pen from his shirt pocket. "Here right down the addresses."

"I can't really see."

"That's because both of your eyes are nearly swollen shut." John explained. "Don't worry the swelling will go down in a few days."

"That's good to know." Jarod smiled through the pain. "The places are as follows…"

**Somewhere in Dallas**

The room was cold, but thanks to his suit coat Marcellinio didn't feel the chill. He rotated his neck then slammed the club once again into Walker's thigh which got a satisfying yell of pain. Then he leaned down to get a good look at the man's bloody face to see determination in the lone blue eye. Stubborn little bastard, this one was. He straightened then slammed the club once more into the man's body, this time in Walker's right shoulder.

"Anything coming to you yet?"

Walker spat out the blood that pooled into his mouth then smirked at Marcellinio. "Not yet."

Marcellinio held his temper in check then shook his head. "Let him have a two hours rest. Then do what you have to do Gordman…" His voice trailed off as Walker's eye slightly drooped then he went completely still. "Walker, if you're faking, you're not doing a good job."

Gordman shook his head. "I don't think he's faking. His hands are starting to twitch."

"You think I'm falling for that!" Marcellinio grabbed Gordman's knife and stabbed it into the top of Walker's shoulder. This got no response from Walker so he slightly twisted it for good measure. This time he got a very low grunt as the man's hands stopped twitching. "Are you with me, Walker?" When he didn't get a response he slapped the man a few times in the face, but still got nothing. "Damn you. Let him rest up, Gordman. Let's get something to eat."

As he came to once again Walker notice his head was throbbing uncontrollably and sharp pain radiated from his right shoulder. Slowly he opened his good eye then peered over to see a knife handle sticking straight up from his shoulder. That was when the pain intensified and he let out a loud hiss as it shot down his arm. How long was he like this? And where did Marcellinio and his goon go to?

"So, you're awake." Gordman's voice was level as he grabbed hold of the handle in Walker's shoulder and pulled it out. This caused so much pain Walker nearly passed out again. "So, what happened an hour ago?" Gordman slammed his fist into his good eye three times then pulled back. "Will you be having seizures like that all the time?"

Walker could taste the metallic bitterness of blood as it pooled into his mouth. "I told you if I don't get my medication it will happen." He pulled his head back as Gordman placed the blade of the knife against his left cheek. "Go ahead, I already have a scar there anyway." He grimaced as the man cut deep into his skin then flicked the knife away. "Why don't you just kill me now and get it over with!"

"Because then, we won't get information." Gordman went to the table, put the knife down then grabbed the club. "I use to be a leg breaker for Marcellinio." He went around to Walker's backside then swung the wooden pole down, instantly breaking fingers and getting a scream from Walker. "Now, where is the money?"

**Early Morning**

Trivette stormed out of the fifth building on Jarod's list frustrated it just proved to be another empty store front. They still had ten more to look through and even with the help from local PD the search for Walker was going tediously slow. He got back into his car then crossed the address of the list as Billings climbed into the car.

"You know, I could have done this." Billings put on his safety belt. "After all Erica is in the

hospital with your second kid."

"No, I need to find Walker." Trivette put the car into drive and pulled out into the street.

"The next location isn't far from here." He handed the paper to Billings. "See if you can find it on the GPS."

Billings left eyebrow raised up as he shook his head. "Don't need to." He turned to Trivette. "My dad owned a mechanic business out of this warehouse back in the seventies. It's small, been empty for decades. Why would Marcellinio be using it?"

Trivette shook his head. "Don't know, but it sounds like a possible location." He turned right then left and found himself in an old manufacturing distract. "Where's it at?"

"Right there…" Billings took his seatbelt off as he pointed to a dark blue van parked by the address in question. "There here." He grabbed the cb mic and called in for help. "Let's hope we're not too late."

Inside the warehouse Marcellinio sat on a chair watching as Gordman interrogated Walker. It seemed the more they tortured the ex-Ranger the more determined he became. Even though Walker was badly beaten, burned and even starved he still sat up straight except for when he suffered a seizure. Maybe he should give the man his medication. He shook his head at the ludicrous thought then stood to his feet.

"You still don't remember anything?" Walker shook his head which got him a punch in his injured shoulder. "I need to know, Walker. I'm missing money…" The door to the room abruptly burst open and in ran three of his guards. "This better be important."

"The police are here!"


	11. Chapter 11

Walker lifted his head up and though he was in pain and barely could see out of his good eye he still smiled at Marcellinio. "Told you the Texas Rangers don't give up on one of their own." This got him the cattle prod which shocked him in the side. He grunted as the pain surged through his entire body. "What are you going to do now?" He managed to say through the pain.

Gordman pulled the prod away then turned to Marcellinio. "We should just kill him."

Marcellinio nodded. "Untie him. He's going to be our bargaining chip."

The ropes were cut from Walker's wrists and ankles then he was violently pulled to a standing position by Gordman. His legs were asleep and the hits he received to his thighs made it near impossible for him to stand. He nearly dropped to the ground, but was firmly held up by Gordman and another one of Marcellinio's goons. They dragged him out of the room towards a much larger area which appeared to be a garage. Here he could see, through a large garage door window several SWAT vehicles sitting outside along with Trivette's car.

A small man ran up to Marcellinio and wagged his head. "We're surrounded!"

"Gordman, bring Walker over here!" Walker was dragged to Marcellinio's side and forced to sit on his knees which made him grunt in pain as muscles stretched that he hadn't used for hours. Marcellinio opened the door then shoved a gun straight into Walker's temple. "I will shoot his brains out!"

After shouting his warning to the police outside Marcellinio closed the door then slammed the pistol into Walker's head numerous times till he fell to the ground. His vision, already blurry from the swelling in his eye, got even worse as the pain in his body went away. He had to keep fighting, he had to stay alive for his family.

"Why can't you just die already!"

Trivette wanted to run into the garage and rescue his friend, but knew he had to allow the SWAT team to do their job. He stood by his car with Billings at his side, waiting impatiently as police circled the building. From what he saw of Walker his friend was in really bad condition and needed medical assistance soon. What did Marcellinio do to him? Was he tortured like the other police officers? If so, how bad?

From what he saw, in the brief moment Marcellinio had the door open was that Walker desperately needed medical attention. He turned to Billings to see his partner talking to one of the SWAT officers. Apparently the SWAT team was set up to raid the warehouse if Marcellinio made another move. But when will that be?

Billings shook his head as he approached Trivette. "They have a sniper watching everything through the door's window. So far, Walker is alive and moving." He turned his attention to the small warehouse. "But he did report that Marcellinio hit Walker on the head repeatedly with a weapon."

Trivette rubbed his face with worry. "He's already suffered from head trauma numerous times, how much more can he handle?"

"Hopefully he'll pull through this."

Everybody's attention went to the door which opened again to show Marcellinio holding Walker up by his right arm. Trivette could see pain etched on his friend's face as the man shook him repeatedly. His eyes quickly spotted a severe injury to Walker's right shoulder, the fresh blood dripping onto the ground. Marcellinio pressed the pistol up against Walker's bleeding temple then clicked the safety off.

"All of you, back up now!" He pressed the barrel tighter to Walker's temple which got him to wince. "I should end it now!"

Billings patted Trivette's shoulder. "They're moving in."

Pain. That was all Walker felt at the moment as Marcellinio held him up by his injured arm. Each time he tried to move, the pain just intensified to the point where he nearly passed out. Without much warning a wave of nausea hit him and his head began to swim. Before he could stop himself he threw up all over Marcellinio's designer sneakers.

"What the hell!" Marcellinio shook his foot then yanked at Walker's arm causing him to scream out in pain. "Because of that I will kill you now!"

Walker heard a loud gunshot and expected it to be from Marcellinio, but he felt no additional pain. The man's grip on his arm loosened and Walker quickly pulled it away as he stumbled forward. He didn't make it very far before he crashed to the ground, his mind blacking out.

Trivette wanted to race to his friend's side, but knew the area still wasn't cleared. To occupy his time he quickly ran up to the waiting paramedics and asked them for a blanket. A young man quickly nodded his head and ran towards the ambulance. Just a few seconds later he showed up with a thick, gray blanket in his hands. Trivette took this with a nod of his head then turned his attention back to Walker. His friend only had on his boxers which meant he was possibly freezing in the cool, fall air of Texas.

"You can come with us, but do not get in the way." Said another paramedic as he turned to Trivette. "Don't worry, you're friend is in good hands."

It seemed to take hours till the paramedic team and Trivette got an all clear from the SWAT team. As he reached his friend's side he could see Walker was much worse off then he had thought. There was several bruises and burns on his chest, some of the burns seem rather deep and downright painful. His eyes swept up to his friend's face to see his good left eye was swollen and turning a nice shade of purple. But he was breathing and as he watched the paramedics work, he noticed no worry on their faces.

"You haven't seen the end of me!" Shouted Marcellinio as he was loaded onto a stretcher. "This is just a set back! I control most of the Metro!"

"Easy, calm down." Said a paramedic as he attempted to put an IV into Walker's right arm. "I'm here to help you."

However it seemed Walker wanted nothing to do with the paramedics as he began to pull his arms away from the men that were trying to help him. Trivette just stood there, the blanket in his arms as he watched his close friend fight the paramedics. He knew Walker hated being helped, but he also knew his limits. This wasn't like him to keep fighting like this, something was wrong.

"He's combative." A young paramedic shone a light directly into Walker's good eye then he opened up his right and shook his head. "The one pupil is bilateral and fixed."

"Okay, let's get him on a stretcher." The youngest paramedic turned to Trivette. "You can cover him up now. He's slightly hypothermic."

Trivette nodded then slowly approached his friend's side to see Walker was still trying to fight the paramedics. This close to Walker he now could see how severe his friend's injuries really were. It took him by surprise to see all the blood on Walker's face and in his hair. Ever so slow he draped the blanket over his friend's body then patted his good shoulder.

"Hang in there, Walker. Everything will be okay." He stood up as the paramedics lifted Walker up and onto a waiting stretcher. "Just keep fighting. Don't quit on us now."


	12. Chapter 12

**Two very short chapters. Sorry about that guys. Still trying to get my barings after loosing my laptop. But I promise they will get longer. ;)**

**Two Days Later**

The first thing that Walker heard as his mind slowly fought through the medication fog was Jarod's rather loud voice. Does he ever stop talking? He turned his head towards his brother's voice then tried to open his good eye. After several failed attempts he just lifted his hand which felt extremely heavy. Was he that tired? Or was there something on his hand?

"Walker, are you awake?" Came Alex's voice to his right. "If you are, nod your head." Walker did just that then rolled his head towards Alex. "Welcome back, cowboy."

He swallowed hard, wincing as the motion caused pain inside his mouth. "How long have I been out for?" His voice was rather weak and harsh which told him he had a breathing tube once again shoved down his throat. "Jarod, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Cordell." A hand fell against his left arm, but Walker could barely feel anything. "Doctor has you on some good pain medications. Doubt you're feeling anything right now." Said Jarod as though reading Walker's mind. "Listen, your left eye is completely swollen shut. Doc says you'll be blind for a few more days till the swelling goes down."

Walker slowly nodded his head in understanding as memories of the brutal torture came back to him. He was beaten, burned and starved for nearly a day till help arrived. Throughout his ordeal it took all he had to not let himself crack under the immense pain and humiliation. What helped him through the hours of torment was thinking about his family. Wonder how Angela and Ray was dealing with the fact he was once again back in the hospital?

He felt a light weight on his right hand. "Doctor Miller and Doctor Jenkins are here." Explained Alex as she gently kissed him on the forehead. "Don't worry, they're just here to see how well you're healing."

"Walker, it's Miller." Pain intensified in his chest as somebody gently pressed down against his ribs. "You gave us a scare. You've had five grand mal seizures in the last two days and dozens of little ones." He felt a hand gently press against his scalp which quickly got him to pull away at the pain it caused. "You suffered another head injury, though minor it might have made your current brain injury slightly worse."

Walker instinctively reached up and could feel the cast on his left hand scrape against his tender scalp. "I got my head shaven again, didn't I?"

"Unfortunately, yes. And we were kind this time and shaved your whole head." Joked Miller as Walker felt him check a certain spot right above his right ear. "You suffered a skull fracture. Had to staple it close then stitch you up." He sighed heavily then began to tape a bandage over the wound. "Your body suffered quite an ordeal."

"That's right and I'm surprised to see you so coherent after what you've been through." Said a male voice on Walker's right. "I'm Doctor Jenkins, I worked on your right shoulder." He felt somebody take off a large bandage from his chest. "I know you just had surgery on it, but I would like for you to try and move it for me."

Alex watched on as her husband did as the doctors told him to do, happy to see him moving after being heavily sedated for a few days. She sat across from Jarod and both watched on as Walker attempted to move his right shoulder which was badly injured while a hostage to Marcellinio. She could see the pain etched in her husband's face as he slowly raised his arm off the bed then laid it back down. Doctor Jenkins told her the damage was extensive and involved several muscle grafts. Unfortunately Walker's shoulder may never be the same again. But at least he was alive. She could have lost him that day.

Jarod patted Walker's arm then slowly got up and went around to stand by Alex's side. "Let's give him some time alone. We'll come back after the doctors finish their job."

"How long will you two be in here?" She asked as she stood to her feet.

Miller took out a pin light then turned to her. "Come back in two hours. Since he's awake, we're going to run some tests." He heard Walker heave a heavy sigh and chuckled. "Yeah, I know the tests can get tedious. Sorry, but they have to be done."

Walker slowly nodded as he turned to Alex. "You two go ahead, I'll still be here." He gave both of them a weak smile. "Tell the kids, especially Angela that I'm sorry. I'll see them soon."

Alex gave Walker a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Take it easy and don't fight the doctor's too much."

Once outside the room she leaned against the wall then placed her head in her hands. It was just too much to take in all at one time. It seemed Walker was destined to remain forever chained to a hospital either by his epilepsy or an attack on his life. Why did this always happen to her husband? Why was he the one always getting hurt?

"It's going to be okay, don't worry."

Alex glanced up at Jarod and saw compassion that she usually only saw in Walker. It was eerie to see how similar they really were, especially now since both were clean shaven. And though both had black eyes, she can now clearly see their facial features were near identical. Jarod however had more of a square jaw line which made him look younger than Walker.

"I'm just tired seeing him in the hospital." Alex sighed heavily then shook her head. "And it's not because of you. Ever since I've known him he's always been getting hurt either by accidents or shootings. One time he was even attacked by a mother bear." She saw the quizzical look on Jarod's face which actually got her to chuckle. "Long story, but definitely something he and Gage can both share."

"Can share what?" Gage came walking up to them and shook Jarod's hand and gave Alex a friendly hug.

"The bear attacks." Alex saw her friend visibly shiver and smiled. "How is Sydney?"

"Doing good. She and Erica are taking the kids out for pizza and ice cream. Angela's with them." His voice faded as he shook his head. "According to Syd, she's really upset."

"I'll have to talk to her later tonight." She turned as a team of nurses went into Walker's room. "All of this has been really hard on her." She quickly wiped her face as tears escaped from her eyes. "Ray is just too young to understand everything that has been going on."

Jarod stepped forward and gave her a hug. "Angela and Ray will make it through this just fine." He pulled back to look down at Alex. "They're strong willed kids, after all look who their parents are. Just let her go through this phase. She'll understand eventually."

"Thank you." She slowly nodded her head as Walker's bed was rolled out and into the hallway. Quickly she wiped her eyes again and went to her husband's side. "Hey cowboy. We're going to grab something to eat. We'll be back in a few hours." She gave him a kiss.

He smiled up at her. "Thought you two were gone already."

"Nah, I grabbed them before they could." Gage patted Walker's good shoulder. "See you in a bit, Walker. Don't fight them too much."

Later that day Jarod walked into Walker's room hoping to spend some time alone with his brother. As he stepped up to the bed he could see black stitching on several parts of Walker's body, the most dominant being on his right shoulder. He gently took his brother's left hand into his then sat down.

"Hey, Cordell, you awake?" When he didn't get a response he sighed heavily then shook his head. "I'm so sorry about what had happened to you. Just wish I could make it up somehow." He glanced up at Walker's bruised and swollen face to see the deep cut on his left cheek. "Your life may never be the same…"

"Don't blame yourself." Walker's head slowly turned towards him as his good eye opened a slit. "You've done nothing wrong." His voice showed Jarod the pain he was in. "When did you decide to call me Cordell?"

Jarod felt extremely embarrassed at this question. "If you don't want me to…"

A smile spread across Walker's chapped lips. "I don't mind." He swallowed hard then tried to shift his weight which seemed to cause him a lot of pain. Walker winced loudly as a grimace came across his face. "Just don't worry…"

Jarod patted Walker's good shoulder. "I won't." His eyes fell upon deep burn marks on Walker's chest. "How's the pain?"

"I can deal with it…tired of being drugged." He sighed heavily which got another grimace to cross his face. "Don't worry about me. Just take care of yourself, Jarod." He slightly lifted his left hand then placed it over Jarod's. "Thank you."

"For what? I've done nothing to deserve…"

Walker gave Jarod a big smile. "You saved my life." His voice showed Jarod the morphine had kicked in and he was now fighting its effects. "Really appreciate it."

Jarod nodded, feeling as though he was about to break down and cry. Why did he feel this way? What was wrong with him? He quickly wiped his sore eyes as tears came to them. Just a few months ago Walker was just a target, a person he needed to kill. And now he had feelings for the man before him almost like a brother would. How did his attitude change so quickly? Was it his desire to have family?

He glanced at Walker once again to see his brother breathing evenly and knew he had fallen asleep. Brother. Though he has lived with Walker for awhile he truly didn't understand the meaning of the word till now. He had somebody who was his blood, somebody who he could actually call family. Wonder how Walker felt about it? He made a mental note to ask him when he was out of the hospital. Hopefully he felt the same way. If he didn't, Jarod would fill rather silly.

"Why…" Walker's head lifted off the pillow slightly. "Are you crying?"

"No, of course not." Jarod quickly wiped his face with a chuckle. "Thought you were asleep?"

Walker smiled at Jarod. "Don't worry, I won't tell anybody."


	13. Chapter 13

**Two Weeks Later**

Though her father was now at home, seeing him so weak and unable to move without pain caused Angela to be furious with anger. There were countless times where her mother wanted to talk to her, but Angela had heard enough. Though young, she knew her father wasn't the same man and he may never be. Why did something like this always had to happen to their family?

She sat on the back porch and stared at Smokey and Skittles, two horses that her mother and father bought three years ago for Ray and her. Angela enjoyed Skittles, who was a small Palomino, but as of late she despised the horse. It was an item that her parents used to hide the fact her father wasn't the same. Something to take her mind off of what was happening to their family.

The screen door squeaked open and heavy footsteps made their way towards her. She didn't turn around to see who it was, instead she brought her knees tighter to her chest.

"Hey Angela." Jarod said as he sat down next to her. "I want you to do something for me."

Angela took a deep breath then turned to her uncle to see him smiling down at her. It was strange to see a man that looked so much like her father. Though Ray had no problem calling Jarod uncle, it still felt weird to her. He did help her with her tumbling skills which she did really appreciate, especially since now she can do a no handed back flip. Maybe she should give him a chance.

She rubbed her face against her arm then her eyes spotted a hair trimmer. "What's that for?"

"I want you," He held the hair trimmers out towards her. "To shave my head."

Angela shrugged at him. "Why?"

"Well, you remember when your father had to get his head shaved again last week?" Angela gave her uncle a slow nod. "As his brother, I'm going to shave my head to make him feel better. So, what do you say?"

This got a smile from Angela. "Can I give you a Mohawk?"

"Uh…" Her uncle's eyes drifted away from her then a big grin spread across his face. "Sure, but just a short one."

Angela quickly got to her feet as excitement raced through her for the first time in several months. She always thought her uncle was cool, but with him looking like her father she never really wanted to get close to him. After all her father was so conservative, he hardly did anything that would be remotely cool. Uncle Jarod however was into gymnastics, dressed completely different, and now he said it was okay for her to give him a Mohawk. Though he looked like her father, he was completely the opposite.

She took the clippers and he moved down one step to give her more room. "Start on the sides then move your way in." He took a deep breath as she turned on the clippers. "Okay, just take it easy. Don't go crazy now."

Inside the house Alex gradually helped Walker into the guest bed for his afternoon nap. Ever since he came home last week from having another surgery to repair the damage done to his skull he's been sleeping more than usual. Didn't help at all that he was taking several medications which made him downright miserable. Hopefully he'll began to perk up once his injuries healed.

"Thanks, Alex." Walker grimaced as he shifted his weight till he got a bit more comfortable. "I hate being drugged."

"Don't worry, the pain medication is only a temporary thing." She kissed him on the forehead. "Just relax and take it easy." Swiftly she grabbed a small travel pillow and gently placed it under Walker's injured arm. "How is it?"

Walker nodded. "Good." His good eye, which was still bruised began to droop. "Hopefully I won't sleep the day away."

Alex made certain her husband was sound asleep before she left the room to check on the kids. In the living room she could see Ray playing a board game with Gage. She smiled at them then checked around for Angela and couldn't find her. Curious, she made her way to the back porch where she could see her daughter shaving Jarod's head.

"What the heck is going on?"

Angela turned around with a smile that Alex hasn't seen in months. "Uncle Jarod said I can give him a Mohawk."

"He did now?" Alex walked down the stairs to see Jarod with a what-can-you-do look and smiled. "Well, that's something I'm dying to see."

"How's Walker?" Jarod asked as clumps of his dark hair fell into his lap. "Still in pain?"

Alex sat down next to her brother-in-law and slowly nodded. "Unfortunately, with the shoulder injury he's going to be in pain for awhile." She smiled up at Angela. "Let me get the trimmer guard so you can cut the middle."

As she stepped through the house she got a strange feeling and quickly made her way to the guest bedroom. Very slowly as not to wake up Walker she pushed the door open to see him still laying on his back, his right arm across his chest. She smiled, glad to see him sleeping soundly, though she could tell by his furrowed brow he was in pain.

She was about to close the door when she heard a loud grunt from the bed and quickly turned to see Walker convulsing just slightly. Quickly she ran up to his side, waited the seizure out then gently shook him till he blinked open his good eye.

"Honey, you had another seizure." She grabbed the notebook on the night stand and jotted down the information. Once through, she skimmed the last few weeks to see the grand mal seizures have been occurring more frequently ever since he was hit in the head again. She will have to definitely bring this up to Doctor Hayden. "Walker, you need to wake up."

He groaned then rolled his head towards her. "I'm tired, Alex." He closed his good eye then took a deep breath. "Just let me sleep."

Alex gently patted his left hand then kissed him on the forehead. "Okay, I'll do that."

Walker smiled up at her. "Don't worry about me." He lifted his left hand up which was still in a cast and gently traced the tip of his fingers along her cheek. "I'll be fine."

She took his hand, gave it a kiss then folded it against his chest. He was wearing a t-shirt so she was able to see the deep purple welts on his arms that she knew will leave scars. It didn't take long for him to fall back into a deep and painful sleep. Alex just wished she could do something about the pain he was in. She gently gave him another kiss on the forehead then stood back up to get the guard for Angela.

After she found the small black clip she went back out to the porch to see Angela talking to Jarod. It was strange how a simple thing as giving her uncle a Mohawk brought her spirits up. Alex made a mental note to thank her brother-in-law for getting her daughter to smile again.

Angela quickly got up and handed the trimmers to Alex. "You finish up, mom. I did most of it, but I'm worried that I will mess up the rest."

"Sure." Alex stepped up to Jarod then turned the trimmers on. "Thank you for doing this."

Jarod shrugged. "No problem. Always wondered what I would look like with a Mohawk."

After ten minutes Alex finally got Jarod's Mohawk at the right length that he wanted it at. As he stood to thank her she noticed Gage walking out on the porch. Her friend took one look at Jarod then his jaw dropped in surprise.

"Sorry." He smiled as he shook his head. "You just look exactly like Walker right now." He pointed to his hair. "Really dig the Mohawk. Wonder how Walker will look like with one?"

"Uhm…" Jarod began to point out what Gage had just said, but was stopped by Alex. "I'm going to go rinse off. Some of the hair went down my shirt and it's itching me like mad."

As Jarod went inside Alex slowly sat down on one of the porch chairs. "You should get going home to Sydney and Lyana."

He stretched then nodded his head. "That I should, but Harris is still out there." He saw Alex's head lower at the mention of the man's name. "We've looked everywhere for him, but he just disappeared. Unfortunately, he's too deep to just stop." Gage turned to the door as Ray came bounding out with scooter in tow. "Then we discovered two detectives that went missing out of Houston and Allen." He turned to Alex then shook his head. "Alex, the Company has discovered through Williamson's testimonies that there are at least twenty known officers that are for certain involved with Marcellinio. Two are from the Dallas area. Unfortunately, we don't know who those two are yet."

Alex slowly nodded, understanding. "Unfortunately it's not only Walker's life at risk, but Jarod's as well." She took a look at her son as he ran around the yard with Scooter close on his heels. "Ray, has no idea what's going on."

"He'll understand eventually, just give him time." He took a glance at the door once again to see Jarod walking out with a clean shirt on. "How's it feel?"

"Strange and refreshing at the same time." He rubbed his hand along the short Mohawk then laughed. "What do you think Cordell will feel about it?"

It still took Alex aback when Jarod called Walker by his first name. She didn't even call him by Cordell and it made her wonder why she never did. Maybe it was because ever since she had known him it was simply Walker, nothing else. Though CD did call him Cordell, so maybe he didn't mind close friends or family calling him by his first name?

She smiled up at Jarod. "I think he will like it."

**Later That Night**

When Walker awoke the first thing that greeted him was the pain in his shoulder and it took him nearly five minutes to slowly sit up in bed. He grabbed his arm with his left hand, or the best he could with a cast on then gradually got up, the muscles in his legs still sore after all the brutal hits. He slowly limped around the bed, but as he did it wore him out and he had to sit back down. Man, he hated feeling so weak.

He took a deep breath, wincing as the action pulled at his sore chest muscles. He had several bruises and some burns that were deep enough to involve skin grafting. Then of course there was his hands which were both broken. On his right, he had three broken fingers and on his left, two, but that hand had a spider web fracture which meant more surgeries later on.

The door slowly opened and in the dim light he could barely make out Alex as she came into the room. His good eye was still black, but thankfully the swelling has gone down enough for him to see clearly out of it.

"It's time for me to clean the stitches." She turned as Jarod came into the room. "What do you think of your brother's new haircut?"

It took Walker several seconds to figure out Jarod had shaved his head and now had a buzzed Mohawk. He smiled then nodded his approval at the younger look his brother was able to pull off. No way could Walker pull off a Mohawk like that.

"Come on, let me help you up." Jarod gently wrapped his arm around Walker's waist then assisted him to a standing position. "How's the shoulder?"

"Stiff." Walker slowly began to walk to the bathroom, embarrassed at getting help from Jarod. "Where are the kids?"

"Staying at Barbara's." Alex walked ahead and flicked on the light. "Have a seat." Once Jarod had Walker seating on the low bench seat she hefted a large bag of medical supplies onto the sink. "Okay, you know the drill."

Walker did and he absolutely dreaded this time of the day. Carefully with help from Jarod he got his t-shirt off, wincing as the fabric pulled at the stitches on his right shoulder. His brother quickly apologized as he checked to see if everything was all right with the surgery site. Once finished with that he got an alcohol coated q-tip and began to clean around the stitches.

He winced at the sharp pain then looked up as Alex checked the staples in his head. "I'm a mess, aren't I?" He chuckled which quickly went away when his wife dabbed a q-tip on the surgery site. "How does everything look?"

Jarod nodded as he grabbed another q-tip. "Some inflammation, but nothing major." He sighed heavily as he took a look at Walker's chest. "How's the burns?"

"Good, considering." Walker hated having people helping him like this, it made him feel so helpless. Unfortunately because of his hands and shoulder he could barely take care of himself properly. He grimaced as Jarod pulled away a bandage from one of the deeper cuts on his chest. "Wish I could do this on my own."

"Don't worry, I really don't mind." Jarod cleaned the cut then placed a fresh bandage on top of it. "Feel like doing some reading and studies tonight?"

Walker slowly nodded. "Yeah, I should."

"Good." He smiled at Alex. "I'm going to get something to drink."

Jarod knew the next step in the cleaning involved checking the injuries on Walker's legs. He also knew his brother got embarrassed with people helping him out. So, he let Alex finish up. He could tell in Walker's good eye the deep emotional pain he was in for being so dependent on people. Hopefully, he will get to know a Walker that wasn't injured.

He went into the kitchen, grabbed an orange from the basket on the counter then got himself a glass of water. As he began to peel off the fruit's tough skin he noticed something on the back porch. Curious he took a glance around and didn't see anybody so he went to check it out. Maybe one of the officers watching the house left something behind.

On the wooden porch he took a deep breath, taking in the smell of hay and other scents only found on the ranch. Man, to think he almost ruined this. He threw the orange peels in the yard then went to see what the mysterious object was. As he got nearer he saw it had a shine to it as though it was a badge. Suddenly everything clicked inside his brain and he began to look around frantically for Harris.

Footsteps from behind him made him whip around, his right hand instantly bringing up the orange to chuck at the person if they were an intruder. Instead who he saw was Billings with Scooter standing obediently behind him.

Billings chuckled as he pointed at the fruit in Jarod's hand. "What you plan on doing with that?"

Jarod took a look at the orange then brought his hand down. "There's something on the porch. It looks like a badge of some kind."

This got the smile to quickly fade from Billings' face as he walked past Jarod to check out the item glistening in the dying sunlight. "It's Walker's badge." He grimaced. "It still has blood on it from the attack." He quickly took out his cell phone. "I'll let Gage know."

"What happened to Trivette?" Jarod asked with his mouth full of food.

"Captain Wright signed on his retirement." He checked his watch. "Just two hours ago. As of today, he's no longer a Texas Ranger." He smiled at Jarod. "Gage is now Field Captain and Ranger Ortega is Captain. There'll be a ceremony next week."

"That's good. Gage is a great guy, I know he will do well." He turned as Alex appeared at the back door. "Oh, Alex." He quickly swallowed the food in his mouth then went up to her. "Listen, something just happened. Nothing big, but I think it's a note of some kind."

Alex's quickly got worried. "Jarod, please tell me what's going on?"

Jarod glanced behind him to see Billings pacing the porch as he talked on the phone. "It's Walker's badge." He saw her eyes quiver and he quickly put the food and glass of water on the nearest available surface. Then he stepped up to Alex and gave her a hug. "It's okay. Harris left it as a note, a way to keep reminding Walker of what had happened."

She nodded then pulled away from him. "I'm going to check on him and call Barbara." With that Alex went back inside.

"Gage is on his way with a CSI." Billings shook his head. "They don't need this, not right now."

"Hopefully Harris will mess up. They always do." Jarod picked up his orange and saw it was covered in dirt. He shrugged then tore a piece off and popped it in his mouth.

Billings gave Jarod a disgusted look. "That, is truly disgusting."

"It's just dirt." Jarod took a look through the screen door to see Walker slowly making his way towards him. "This should be interesting."


	14. Chapter 14

After he had gotten his wounds cleaned Walker had just made his way into the living room when Alex confronted him. He could tell in her eyes that something was seriously wrong and had glanced to the backdoor to see Jarod talking to Billings. Though it was painful to walk, Walker slowly made his way through the kitchen, wishing he could use the counters to lean on. When will the excruciating throb ever end? It seemed to never go away, even with the medication.

He could see Jarod through the screen door and as his brother caught sight of him he quickly went inside. The look on his brother's face told Walker that something rather important had just happened. But what could it possibly be? What had caused Alex to nearly break into tears? A knock at his front door, disturbed his thoughts and he slowly turned to see Gage walking into their house with Trivette not too far behind him.

Gage quickly stepped passed Walker to talk to Billings who was still outside on the porch. Trivette gave the brothers his usual smile which turned even bigger at seeing Jarod's Mohawk. Walker glanced at his brother again to see a remarkable resemblance to himself, especially now since Jarod's head was shaved.

Jarod shook Trivette's hand. "What are you doing here? Don't you have a little one to take care of at home?"

"Don't worry, Erica has a friend over to help her out. I wanted to make sure everything is okay." He pointed to Jarod's hair. "I like it."

Walker couldn't help but to feel as though he has been left out of something rather important. For some reason unknown to him, this caused the depression to once again wash over his mind. He quickly tried to hide it by turning his head down, but Jarod saw and went up to him.

Jarod waved to the dining room as Trivette went outside to talk to Gage and Billings. "Have a seat, Cordell." After Walker was seated his brother sat down next to him. "Your Ranger badge was left on the porch. It still has blood on it from the attack." He turned as Gage walked in with a bag in his hands. "Can we see that?"

"Sure, but it's evidence. So, don't open the bag." Gage handed the badge over to Jarod then gently patted Walker on his good shoulder. "We'll get Harris, don't worry."

After Gage left Walker reached out for the bag which Jarod handed over, with no questions asked. As his eye fell upon it memories of a life forever gone flashed before his mind. This was the badge he had pinned on his shirt numerous times and wore with honor. Oh how he missed being a Texas Ranger. He slowly rubbed the badge with the tip of his thumb as the depression finally hit him with force. No longer was he the man that had worn this badge last. No longer will he be able to do the things he use to do before that day. Then what was he good for? Why was he even alive?

"There was a high chance that I would have made Captain that year." His voice didn't sound like him at all. It was quiet and cracked as the emotion tore at his heart. "I don't remember that day, not one minute of it." He took a deep shaky breath as he kept his eye glued on the badge he held in his cast hands. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm even still alive."

Jarod sighed then patted Walker's shoulder. "There's a reason for everything…"

"Then why don't I see it." Walker shook his head. "I'm in constant pain, I can't read and now I may not be able to drive anymore. I don't see why there's a reason…"

"Listen, Harris dropped this off to do precisely this." Jarod pointed at the badge as he spoke. "He knows this brings back memories and he is hoping that will make you weak." He took the badge from Walker then shook his head. "I know you're stronger than this. Show Harris this doesn't effect you. If you let him see you are weak he will take full advantage of that." He leaned back into the chair then smiled at Walker. "Have you done anything to help you cope with all of this?"

Walker looked at his brother with confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, as a teenager I was rowdy as hell. Always got into trouble so my adoptive parents tried to find ways for me to channel my energy. Tried several things till I found gymnastics. Found out I was actually quite good at it." He pointed to Walker's cast hands. "Maybe, for physical therapy you can do sculpting or drawing."

"Art has never been my thing. I can't even draw a stick figure." Walker sighed heavily then winced as that brought on pain. The medication was wearing off which meant he will have to take his last dose for the night. However he didn't want to till he had something to eat. "Do you think it will help?"

Jarod shrugged. "It might give you something to pour your emotions into. You should give it a shot. Couldn't hurt."

Walker glanced down at his hands knowing Jarod was definitely right about physical therapy. He will have to do something to strengthen his hands and like the other times he had broken them he may have to use a ball or a piece of clay to get dexterity back. Maybe here he could try sculpting, but the thought of doing art nearly made him laugh. He didn't have a creative bone in his body, it would just lead to more embarrassment.

"I'm going to start dinner." Alex said as she stepped up to Walker and Jarod. "Anything you guys want?"

Jarod shook his head. "Nope, just fix whatever you want." He slowly got up then stretched. "I'll help you out, Alex."

Alex stepped up to him with a smile. "I have this. Why don't you go help out Walker with his therapy."

"Right, will do."

Jarod gave Alex a big hug then went into the living room where she can hear him talking to Walker. Slowly all of their lives are going back to normalcy and soon, Jarod will have to find a job. She knew him and Walker had plenty of talks about what he should do now since he was honorably discharged from the Galveston Homicide Division. One of the ideas that kept popping up was Jarod teaching gymnastics. Whatever it was, she hoped Jarod will be happy with the decision.

She threw the rest of the vegetables in the stew then put the lid on the container. Another two hours and dinner should be done. Hopefully Walker can stay awake tonight to eat something. As of late, because of the injuries and the medication he's been falling asleep rather earlier only to wake up in the middle of the night. His sleep patterns were completely off, which Doctor Hayden suspects has been leading to the seizures. She hoped that was the case, however something in her heart told her it was much more serious than that.

While Alex was in the kitchen Jarod and Walker made their way into the living room, the former helping the other. Once Walker was comfortable on the couch, or as much as he could be Jarod brought over a wooden tray which he put in front of Walker. Wonder what his brother had in mind this time?

He watched as his brother got a game of Scrabble then took out all the letter pieces. "You're going to spell out words by using these tiles." Jarod said as he mixed up the tiles on the wooden surface. "Okay, what word do you see first?"

It took a lot of concentration for Walker to sort out all the letters which to his damaged brain appeared to be a sea of black blurs. He couldn't believe it was this hard for him to do something so simple as spelling words. Hesitantly he reached for a block then decided against it. Why was he having so many problems deciphering which letter was which? What was wrong with him?

"Here, let me start it off." Jarod grabbed a tile then placed it away from the others, right in front of Walker. "What letter is this?"

"B." Walker's face flushed as he felt real silly for not being able to read the letter when it was mixed in with the others. "Let me try now."

But it seemed he couldn't pick out any letters if they were mixed in with the others. Why was that? He began to get flustered and it showed which irritated him more. And with the pain he was in and the lack of sleep, it was hard for him to keep his anger in check. Every now and again he would lash out which always got Alex upset. He knew it was caused by depression and wished he could control it. Most times he could, but right now more than ever he was feeling completely useless.

"Hey, Cordell. You okay?"

"No, I'm not okay!" Walker's voice carried throughout the house and he could hear Alex gasp. "I can't read, I can't write! What am I good for?"

Alex quickly ran into the living room, her face masked with confusion. "Walker, are you okay?"

"I'm getting tired of that question." Walker shook his head as Alex sat next to him on the couch. It ashamed him to no end that he just lashed out like he did and he could feel his face getting redder. "Just leave me alone right now…"

"No." Walker turned to his brother and saw determination in Jarod's face. "You're going to do this."

Walker bowed his head in embarrassment and he could see his brother picking out letters then placing them away from the others. He took a glance at the tiles to see with relief, a word. Though it took him some time he managed to spell, "Bear". This got him a smile from his brother who pulled out more tiles so Walker can use them to spell a word. It was as though Walker was his son Ray, who was now just learning how to read. What had happened to the man who got several honors in school? Where was he now when Walker really needed him?

He sighed heavily then spelled the word, "Table". "Just wish this came easier for me." He spelled out another word then looked up at Alex then back at the tray in front of him. "Thank you, Jarod."

"No problem." Jarod patted Walker's good shoulder then slowly stood up. "Here," He chose several tiles then put them in little groups. "Work out the words and I'll be back in about ten minutes."

Once out of earshot of Walker, Jarod let his shoulder's drop as he exhaled a deep breath. "Have you called Miller or Hayden about what's happening?"

Alex shook her head. "I was hoping it was just shock, but I'll call him tomorrow." She went to stir the stew. "He's always had problems with words and putting sentences together on paper." She sighed heavily, took a look in the living room then motioned for Jarod to come with her till they were standing near the back door. "Please don't repeat this anywhere. Nobody knows about this and it will devastate Walker if he learned about it."

Jarod gave Alex a nod. "Sure, what's up?"

She took a deep breath then leaned against the kitchen counter. "For the first month or two, when Walker came home he would try to write in the notebooks. Turns out, he couldn't put words or sentences together. Now, he eventually found this out and is now able to write at roughly a third grade level. But the first few months, he tried to write in his notebooks and all he did was write down incoherent sentences full of jumbled letters."

"Explains why he's having problems with the task I gave him to do." Jarod took a glance at the living room then back at Alex. "But he's able to write down his own notes, right?"

Alex took a few steps into the kitchen and grabbed one of the notebooks. "We made it simple. Walker threw a fuss over it, but he eventually agreed to do it this way."

Jarod flipped open the worn notebook to see several columns with names of medications and even hours of sleep. Then, there was a big column for seizures and the type. It was made so all Walker had to do was check off his medication, write down the number of hours for sleep and the seizure column had Alex's writing in it. It was rather detailed and to think there was several of these notebooks around the house. He closed it and saw on the cover in black marker, "Kitchen".

"I see color dots over the medication. Is that for him to know which one is which?"

"Yeah, he can't read the big words so we worked a system out so now all he has to do is grab the bottle with the correct dot." She went back to stir the stew again. "Just wish you got to know him before all of this happened."

"Same here. Heard through Jimmy and Gage, he's incredibly smart man and was a great Texas Ranger." He leaned against the counter next to the stove. "Unfortunately, that part of him is trapped inside his damaged brain. I think that's the reason for his frustration and depression." He gave Alex a reassuring smile. "I'm going to go check on him. Don't worry, we'll figure things out."

As Jarod made his way back into the living room he noticed his brother had finished most of the words. He went over, patted Walker's good shoulder then sat down next to him.

"See, you did really good." His brother slowly nodded his head as he worked out more tiles into word. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

Walker took a deep breath then shook his head. "It's been five years, this is my life now." He looked at Jarod with his good eye which was still slightly black. "So, I'm thinking of going to the Reservation as early as the end of next week."

"Really? But isn't that too soon?"

"No, I want to know why my parents didn't tell me about you." He gave Jarod a lopsided smile. "Don't worry, the pain isn't as much as it was a few weeks ago." His smile disappeared as he glanced down at his hands. "But you'll have to drive up there."

"Sure. But what about your head and shoulder. You just had surgery to both not too long ago, maybe you should wait…"

"No, it's okay." Walker sighed heavily, grimacing as he did so. "Besides, once there, I'll be able to relax. I just want to get out of the house for a bit."

"Okay, we'll plan for next Saturday, but if Hayden or Miller says no we will not go." He raised his hand as his brother started to protest. "They know better than you do. If that proves to be the case, we'll shoot for the Saturday after that."


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks to TygerMoon Foxx for the help on this chapter. :)**

**Two Weeks Later**

Even though the drive was under six hours, it seemed to take forever as Jarod drove towards Oklahoma. Thanks to Cordell he knew exactly how to get to their destination. Unfortunately because of pain medication his brother was sound asleep next to him in the passenger seat. Why he couldn't wait till he was fully healed to travel was beyond Jarod. Guess he really wanted to visit the reservation; after all according to Cordell it had been several years since he even stepped foot on Cherokee soil. Wonder how they'll be treated especially since Jarod was a stranger to the people he was about to visit. Even though Cordell reassured him that he will be accepted with open arms, that didn't stop the nerves.

As he cruised along at a reasonable speed he reached down to grab his lukewarm coffee which he bought an hour ago at a gas station. After he took a sip he turned to his brother to see him leaning against the door, his arms crossed against his chest. Both his hands and wrists were still in thick casts which prevented him from driving long distances. Must hurt like hell to have both hands broken like that.

He sighed heavily and shook his head at what had happened to his brother. It still hurt him to know that he could have prevented a lot of things if he just didn't get so deep with Marcellinio. Because of him his brother was in pain, his family and friends were emotionally drained and the rat within the Dallas PD went into hiding. Why did he let his ego control him the way it did?

"I see we're almost there." Cordell slowly sat up, grimacing as the motion pulled at his sore muscles and still healing injuries. His voice told Jarod that he was still trying to fight off the drugs. "I should drive into the Reservation."

"You're not driving anywhere." Jarod chuckled at his brother's stubbornness. "Remember what the doctor specifically told you. You need to really start listening to them. They know what they are doing."

Cordell gave him a slight smile. "Never been too keen on doctors."

Jarod shook his head. "So, I've noticed." He took another sip of his coffee then pulled into a gas station located off the exit ramp. "Going to get something to eat."

He pulled the truck into an available parking space, which was easy to do since there didn't appear to be any customers. Once he got out he went to the passenger side then helped his brother out. As Cordell slowly got out of the truck, another car, this one a luxury vehicle, pulled in and parked on the other side of them.

"Thanks, I got it Jarod." Cordell slowly stood straighter then gently patted Jarod on the shoulder. "They have a small café here, why don't we have lunch."

"Sounds like a plan."

Jarod turned as an older couple got out of the luxury car and caught their look of disgust. Instinctively his hand rubbed against his very short Mohawk then his attention went to Cordell. His brother still had bruises on his face and arms from when Marcellinio tortured him. Not only that he had a thick, pink scar on the left side of his face and an eye patch that covered his right orbit. Right now both definitely looked the worse for wear. He didn't blame the couple looking at them as though they were criminals.

Cordell caught the look as well and tried to ignore it. "Let's just go inside and get something to eat."

Once inside the small gas station both the brothers sat down after getting something from the café, Walker a little slower than Jarod. Maybe he should have waited till he was healthier, but he really wanted to go to the reservation. It had been too long since his last visit, wonder how he will be treated?

He took a sip of his lemonade then winced as the cool liquid hit a few cracked molars. Hopefully after the trip he could get them repaired. But right now he will have to deal with the pain each time he ate or drank anything cool or hot. He took another sip then realized with much embarrassment he couldn't pick up his sandwich. Jarod saw this look, quickly got a knife then cut Walker's turkey sandwich into bite size pieces.

Walker sheepishly smiled at his brother. "Thanks."

"No problem." Jarod pointed at Walker's hands with a fry. "How are your hands doing?"

"Okay, considering." Walker glanced down at the casts remembering very vividly on how he got them. For the last four weeks he'd been having throbbing pain in the joints and knew once the casts came off, his fingers might never be the same again. "Pain has gone down some."

"That's good to know." Walker could see Jarod's eyes shift to the older couple. "They don't like us for some reason."

Walker shrugged. "Let them look. We're not doing anything wrong."

"True." Jarod took a big bite of his cheeseburger then smiled. "I'm nervous as hell about going to the reservation. I'm hoping they'll accept me."

"I think they will." Walker took a glance at the couple to see the male taking out his cell phone. "Let's hurry up and eat. For some reason I'm getting a bad vibe."

Once they were through with lunch Jarod went hunting for snacks while Cordell went to the restroom. As he grabbed some snack cakes he could see a patrol car pulling into the parking lot. The officer got out of his vehicle, took a look through the truck's windows then proceeded to go into the gas station. Jarod took a deep breath then turned towards the restrooms to see his brother making his way out. Cordell didn't look good; in fact he appeared almost lost.

"Cordell?" He quickly dropped his snack cakes and ran to his brother. His one good eye was glazed over. "Hey, you okay?" Cordell didn't respond. Instead he tried to walk away but Jarod stopped him. His brother scowled irritably. "Cordell, you're having a seizure. You need to sit down."

His brother grumbled something incoherent before he collapsed to his knees. The officer quickly ran up to them and began to pull Jarod, who wouldn't leave his brother's side, away from Cordell. As the officer tugged on his arm, Jarod managed to get Cordell laying on the ground, with his head in his brother's lap in case he had a grand-mal seizure.

"Sir, if you don't step away now, I will have to arrest you."

"He suffers from seizures. He's having one now." Jarod could see Cordell slowly blinking as he sat up, his head resting in his cast hands. "Hey, Cordell. You had a seizure, just relax." He flipped out his brother's medical tag from under his shirt then turned to the officer. "See this, he suffers from epilepsy."

The officer reached down, read the medical tag then nodded. "Sorry about that. I got a call saying two guys, who appeared to be on drugs were disturbing the owner." He turned to the older couple who was standing near by watching everything with frowns on their faces. "May I ask what had happened to him?"

"He got into an accident," lied Jarod as he graciously took the water offered to him by the elderly owner of the store. "Here you go, bro. Just slow sips."

After Cordell took a few sips he turned to Jarod. "What happened?'

"You had a seizure, bro." He turned to the elderly owner. "I'll take a few of those snack cakes and some bottled water." The man nodded and began to gather up the merchandise for Jarod. "Officer, can you help me get my brother to his truck?"

"Sure thing." The officer, with help from Jarod, slowly walked Cordell outside to the truck. Here, out of earshot of the elderly couple, the officer shook his head. "Sorry about that. Some people, I tell ya."

Cordell shook his head. "It's okay." He grimaced as he slowly sat down in the passenger seat. "Thanks, officer."

"No problem, glad to help out." The officer shook Jarod's hand. "Take it easy."

Once Jarod got into the truck he grabbed a pillow from the backseat then tried to hand it to his brother. Cordell didn't respond; his brother had passed out leaning against the window. Jarod leaned over, lifted Cordell's head and the pillow underneath it. His brother did not stir.

In the last few weeks, Cordell had been fighting so much pain that he could barely fall asleep for more than four hours at a time. This, Jarod found out, caused Cordell's seizures to intensify and Doctor Hayden had put him on sleeping medication. Unfortunately his brother refused to take the pills, but Jarod did make sure he brought them for the trip.

He started the truck and followed the GPS unit to make his way to the Reservation. As he pulled onto the highway, his phone rang and he quickly picked it up so it wouldn't wake up his brother.

"Hey John, how's it going?"

"Doing great. How's dad?" John asked.

Jarod glanced over to see Walker still sleeping peacefully in the passenger seat. "He finally fell asleep. How are things at home?"

"Great. Mike is transferring back to Dallas, actually Grand Prairie to be closer to dad. Not being able to take the time off after what had happened kind of irritated him"

"Makes sense, but hopefully this is the last real hurdle Cordell will have to face." He sipped at his water then glanced at the GPS unit to see he had another hour to go before they reached the Reservation. "Let's just hope Harris doesn't show up."

"I'll keep you posted. Take care of dad."

"Will do. See you in a week."

**An Hour Later**

As his mind came out of the fog, the first thing that greeted Walker was pain and stiffness in his neck. He licked his lips then opened his good eye. The truck was parked in front of a small, one level hotel. Ever so slowly he sat up straighter, grimacing as pain shot down his shoulder. Jarod wasn't in the driver's seat. That meant he must be checking them in.

Without thinking, he tried to open the door. His right hand pained him. Though his fingers have mostly healed, he still had to wear a thick cast while he was up here. It irritated him to no end to have limited use of his hands and couldn't wait to get the casts off. He reached the door again but saw Jarod walking toward the truck with Billy Greywolf beside him.

Walker got a huge smile on his face at seeing his old friend. He hadn't seen Billy in several years, but as the man got closer to the truck Walker could see a scowl on his friend's face.

Jarod jogged to the truck first and opened the passenger side door. "Here, let me help you."

"I got it." Walker slowly made his way out of the truck and smiled at Greywolf. "Billy."

"Washo, what the hell happened to you?" Billy stepped up to the truck his scowl quickly turning into a look of worry. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, just got into a little bit of trouble."

Jarod glanced over at Greywolf then back at Walker. "Let's get you settled into the hotel."

Once inside their hotel room, Walker collapsed onto the bed, his body and mind not wanting to move anymore. He hated to appear so weak in front of his old friend, but knew until he got better it would be like this. The alarm on his watch chirped; it was time to take his medications.

"I know you hate it, Cordell, but you need to take your meds." Jarod smiled at Greywolf as he took out a couple of pills from their bottles. After that, he got a glass of water and a few granola bars. "Eat and drink up."

Walker took the medication from his brother then turned to Billy. "Sorry about this, Billy. I have to take this."

After he took his medicines, Walker laid on his back. He knew he would soon fall asleep for a few hours; hopefully he would be able to get off the pain medication soon so he could function normally. Jarod positioned a pillow under Cordell's right arm and placed an ice pack wrapped in a towel against his brother's shoulder. This helped soothe the throbbing ache. Walker closed his eyes as his mind began to relax.

Jarod smiled down at his brother then turned to the tall man behind him. "You appeared somewhat mad to see Cordell. What had happened between you two?"

"He stopped practicing the ways the elders had taught him." Billy sat down on a chair then nodded his head towards Walker. "I had heard what had happened to him. The beating nearly killed him and yet nobody contacted me or anybody else here to let us know." He shook his head and took a deep breath. "I tried calling him for several months afterward but he refused to talk to me...or anybody from the tribe, for that matter."

An awkward feeling went over Jarod and he quickly cleared his throat. "Sorry to hear that. But he's here now…"

"Only to know the story behind you. Just wish he kept practicing the ways the elders taught him." Billy once again sighed heavily, got up then handed Jarod a piece of paper. "Tomorrow, 3:30pm. Elder Harris Running Bull will talk to you."

Jarod had to hold in his laughter at hearing the last name. "Sure, I'll let Cordell know."

As Billy left the hotel room, he mouthed the last name kind of surprised at hearing it in this day and age. Come to think about it, Billy had called Cordell, Washo. Strange, but Jarod had to understand this was a Cherokee tribe after all. Wonder why his brother stopped adhering to their ways?

He sighed heavily then decided to take a walk while Cordell was sleeping. After writing a quick note to his brother explaining what he was doing he left the hotel room to see what this place had to offer. He was very thankful that he was no longer under house arrest and he was able to visit the Reservation and learn about his heritage.

As he stepped outside, the first thing he noticed was a bar across the street and outside he could see several Cherokee men hanging out by their vehicles. Most looked at Jarod and only one decided to break away from the crowd to run across the street to greet him.

The young Cherokee man smiled and stuck his hand out for a shake. "Name is Neil."

"Jarod." He shook Neil's hand. "Why did you come over here?"

Neil shrugged. "You look familiar to me. Have we met?"

"Nope, first time here." Jarod saw the men at the bar looking at him again. "But, I'm related to Cordell Walker, or Washo as some call him here."

"That's why you look familiar." Neil shook his head. "Man, you can almost be his twin."

Jarod chuckled. "Yeah, could be. How do you know him?"

"Rarely do, just know him through stories told to me from my uncles." Neil glanced back at his friends then gave Jarod a huge grin. "Talk to you later!"

When the young man left Jarod shook his head in confusion then made his way down the two lane street wondering what this little Reservation had to offer. Judging by what he saw, it was just like any small town, but with a lot more bars. He made his way down the street till he reached an old mom and pop soda joint. After checking his watch he decided to get something for him and Cordell. Even though his brother couldn't eat cold stuff because of his cracked molars maybe he could find something else to get him.

A bell rang signaling his arrival into the small store and inside he saw it was sparsely furnished with only a few decorations on the walls. Maybe he should turn around and find someplace else for a drink? This little hole in the wall definitely didn't look sanitary.

"Hang on one minute!" Shouted a woman from a back room. Jarod decided to sit on one of the bar stools and as he did, an older woman came through a swinging door with a smile on her face. "How can I help today?"

Jarod flipped open the menu that laid out in front of him and scanned it's contents. "I'll have a chocolate malt and…" He raised an eyebrow at one description. "Grape dumplings? Are they any good?"

The older woman winked at him. "Definitely. Especially since mine are homemade." She began to make his malt. "So, I take it you aren't from around here."

"No, I've never been here before." He smiled at the woman. "I'll have some of those dumplings to go." He closed the menu as the door opened behind him. When he turned around he saw two men looking directly at him, both with their arms crossed. "Who are they?" The words had escaped his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Joseph and his goon, Travis. They always cause trouble around here." Jarod turned back to the woman to see her putting several round pastries into a large white Styrofoam container. "The dumplings are on the house." She rang up his malt. "Four dollars."

The tallest man went to Jarod's side and nudged his shoulder. "Never seen you here before. What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting family." This got the man to shove him in the back which got Jarod to stand up and face his antagonist. "I'm telling you the truth! I'm Cordell Walker's brother."

Travis laughed. "He's a half-breed, Joseph!" He was a bit shorter than the other man, but still taller than Jarod which made him a bit intimidating. "Tell your brother I said to get off of the Reservation. I don't like people like him here."

"Here, sweetie." The woman had gone around the counter and was now standing before the shortest of the men with a paper bag and a malt in her hands. "Leave him and Washo alone!" She gave Jarod a warm smile. "Tell your brother that Mary Lynn says hello."

Jarod took the bag and cup from the woman with a slight nod. "Thank you."

He slowly made his way to the front door as he kept his attention focused on the two men. As he exited he began to walk back to the hotel, all his senses on full alert. He could hear the door opening and the men's boots on the sidewalk as they quickly caught up to him.

"Half-breed!" Came a yell as one of the men shoved Jarod forward who stumbled a few steps then turned to the men in a guarding stance, the malt raised above his head. "You are just like your brother!"

"Just let me go back to the hotel. I don't want any trouble."

Joseph crossed his arms and shook his head. "I don't want to see you down here again."

"Fine, fine you won't see me." Jarod lowered his guard and began to back pedal away from the men. "I'll make sure of that."


	16. Chapter 16

Walker awoke with a start, his mind still racing from the nightmare that he had. As his eye snapped open he could see a white ceiling above him with a few water stains. At first he was confused to where he was at, but then his mind cleared from the dream. He was in a hotel somewhere on the Reservation with Jarod. Jarod? Where was his brother at?

"Cordell, you okay?" Jarod appeared above him with an expression of worry etched on his face. "Thought you were having another seizure."

"No, it was just a nightmare." Walker gradually sat up, nearly grimacing at the tenderness in his right shoulder. "How long have I been out?"

"Four hours and twenty minutes." He jotted it down in a notebook then sighed heavily. "Do you remember what the nightmare was about?"

Walker could remember the dream vividly, but didn't want to worry Jarod about it. Instead he attempted to stand, which was still slightly difficult to do. The hits he received from Marcellinio left deep bruises on his thighs, some had even gone down to the muscle which made it painful to move his legs. Jarod saw him having problems and attempted to help him out, but Walker waved him away.

After a few failed tries he finally got to his feet and slowly made his way to the dining table where he sat down with a sigh of relief. His eye noticed his workbook and he turned to Jarod to see him looking at him with his dark, blue eyes. Jarod gave Walker a smile then slowly stood to his feet and went to the restroom.

For the last few weeks, Jarod had kept his head shaved and his Mohawk trimmed, but he did grow a goatee which made him look identical to Walker. As for Walker, his head was also still shaved since he just got the staples removed a few days before the trip. One thing that Walker did notice, though they were suppose to be identical, both had their differences. Jarod was rather lean and stood just a little over six feet, whereas Walker was of average height and slightly stocky. The only thing they truly had in common were their eyes which were blue.

Jarod came out of the bathroom, washed his hands then took off his shirt. "Let's get something to eat. Know of anyplace here?"

"Not sure, but we can take a walk around and see what we find." Suggested Walker.

His brother put on a white shirt then grabbed a dark blue polo from his bag. "We will drive around, you still can't walk all that good." Jarod snapped his fingers and went to the dresser where he grabbed a paper bag. "Got these for you." He pulled out a Styrofoam container and handed it to Walker. "Heard these were a local favorite."

Walker opened the container and a huge smile crossed his face. "Grape dumplings. Man, I haven't had these in years."

"Yeah got them from a lady named Mary Lynn."

"I remember her. Use to get them all the time from her store." Walker closed the container and put it on the table. "I'll eat them after dinner. Thank you."

**Grand Prairie, Texas**

The apartment complex appeared nice enough on the outside and it did offer private garages which Michael Garrison really liked. He put his hands on his hips then turned to his brother John who gave him a smile and a nod. Michael knew this was a huge step for him, he will after all be stationed in Grand Prairie for a very long time.

"Well, let's go check it out." Michael stepped up to the office then held the door open to let his brother in. "How's being a paramedic working for you?"

"I've only been on duty for roughly a week." John began to laugh as he followed Michael inside the large room. "But I love it. Glad I decided to become a paramedic and not a doctor. Though boring sometimes, it does have its moments."

Once inside the manager's office Mike was greeted by a young man who waved to a seat in front of his desk. "I have three apartments for you to look at." He handed Michael several pieces of paper and pointed to one in particular. "That there is a corner lot, we'll check that one out first." He smiled at Michael. "Glad to help out a Walker any time I can." He stood up and got several keys from a safe behind his desk. "Let's go ahead and see them."

On the way to the first apartment Michael suddenly got that feeling he absolutely hated and turned to John to see the same look in his brother's eyes. He swallowed hard knowing he should trust his instincts, after all it has saved his life on numerous occasions.

"This apartment has two bedrooms, a half bath and a master bath." The manager took them outside and led them down a little walkway. "It's right over here."

John patted Michael's shoulder as he pointed to the parking lot. "Is that Harris?"

"Where?" Michael slowly turned his head to see a man taking groceries out of the trunk of his car and his heart began to race. "Shit." He noticed the manager had unlocked the door to the apartment and quickly went inside. "We need to call Gage and Billings."

"Do you think he saw us?" Asked John as he checked the front window.

Michael shook his head as he took out his cell phone. "I don't think so." He glanced at the bewildered manager with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, just act normal." Gage picked up on the second ring. "Gage, it's Mike. Listen, I now know where Harris is at."

"What! Where!" He could hear Gage throwing down a utensil and talking to Sydney.

"Hill Tree Apartments in Grand Prairie." He turned to the apartment manager. "Do you know who that man is?"

The manager nodded his head. "That's Thomas Thompson. He lives on the forth floor."

"Did you get that Gage?" Said Mike as he watched Harris make his way up a flight of stairs leading to the fourth floor.

"That I did. Are you one hundred percent certain that it is him?"

John took a look out the window and nodded his head. "He's dyed his hair, but it's definitely him."

"Okay, thanks. I'll get a team there to start surveillance. If it really is him, we just got extremely lucky." Gage had gotten into his car and started the engine. "Mike, try to stay low. Unfortunately getting an apartment there is now out of the question, at least while Harris is around."

Michael nodded his head. "Understand. And Gage, don't tell dad. I don't want him to worry. He's already got a lot on his mind as it is."

"Don't worry, I won't. Just take it easy. And Mike, don't leave till you know it's okay to do so."

**Oklahoma**

The restaurant they decided to eat at was actually close to the hotel, but because of Walker's legs they couldn't make the distance on foot. Walker swallowed his pride as he made his way into the small store front restaurant behind Jarod. As he stepped in, the smell of food hit him and he could feel his stomach growling. His brother pointed to a table near the door and scooted into the booth.

It took Walker some time, but he finally situated himself inside the booth and smiled as the waitress gave them both waters and a menu. Most restaurants had menus with pictures and easy to read descriptions, however this one wasn't as simple. He took a deep breath then slowly traced his finger along the words knowing it took his brain awhile to know what was being said. After finding the sandwiches he looked for the word chicken.

Jarod took a sip of his water. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Grilled chicken sandwich with bacon." He shook his head then sighed heavily as he put the menu down. "I'll just ask the waitress."

"How are you all doing today?" The young woman took out a notebook from her apron and clicked her pen. "Any appetizers to start you all off?"

Jarod shook his head. "Nah, I'm just going to have the house sirloin, medium-well. And a baked potato for the side and ice tea for the drink."

Walker sheepishly smiled at the waitress. "Do you have any grilled chicken sandwiches with bacon on it?" She nodded and pointed to spot on the menu. "I'll have that with just water." After she left Walker shook his head. "Man, it's embarrassing not being able to read a menu."

"It's okay." Jarod's voice faded as he quickly hid his face behind the palm of his hand. "Crap, Cordell. It's those men that I ran into earlier today."

Walker slowly turned his head to catch a glimpse of the two men that Jarod was talking about and had to take a deep, calming breath. "Joseph Mayfield. Went to school with him and his little brother, Allen." He took a sip of his water as he turned to Jarod. "He was actually a good guy till Allen was killed over in Vietnam. Ever since then he's been a drunk and a bully."

Jarod shook his head. "Great, just great." He let out a deep moan as Joseph stepped up to their table. "Listen, I really don't…"

"We don't want any half-breeds like you around here!" Joseph slammed his hand on the table which knocked over Walker's water glass. "Walker, what happened to you?" He pointed to Walker's right eye and started to laugh. "Heard you were a cripple now!"

The waitress came back to their table shaking her head. "Joseph, you know better than showing up here. If you don't leave, we are calling the police."

Joseph smirked then violently shoved Walker in the shoulder. "See ya around!"

When the man finally left the restaurant, Jarod smiled up at the waitress. "Thank you."

Walker tried to reach for his left shoulder, but pain in his right quickly stopped him. "Sorry about causing problems."

"Oh, it's not your fault. Joseph always likes to rile up newcomers." She smiled down at Walker. "Though, you look awfully familiar to me. Cordell Firewalker, right?"

"That's right." He stuck his hand out for a handshake then remembered it was injured and pulled it back. "Sorry about that. What's your name?"

"Maria Sanchez." She moved aside as their food was brought out to them by a young man wearing an apron. "I don't like how Joseph throws that word around, just makes me mad. He's one of the few that are still stuck living the old ways."

"That's a shame." Walker allowed his brother to take his plate and cut up his sandwich for him

Maria gave them a smile. "Well, I should leave and check on my other tables. You two have a great dinner."

Jarod leaned across the table with a huge smile on his face. "So, your real last name is Firewalker? Why change it?"

"Decided to do so when I entered into the military. Got too many jokes from it." Walker thanked his brother and began to eat the sandwich which was now cut into reasonable bite size pieces. "Too Native American and, well I don't look it. You, on the other hand do."

"Hmmm… Now I know what to change my last name to." He gave Walker a mischievous grin as he started to eat his food. "I hope you don't mind."

Walker gave Jarod a huge smile. "Not at all. My two sons have put in to get their last names changed as well. Could be any day now." He took a bite of his food, frustrated he had to use his left hand since his right he could barely move his shoulder up to his head. "I'm surprised to see you and John getting along so well, especially since that day."

Jarod gave a shrug. "I talked to him about what I had done and apologized. It took some coaxing, but he finally agreed to give me a chance." He laughed. "As for Mike, that boy is special. He didn't care what I did, he was just happy to have an uncle." He shook his head. "I'm glad to have somebody who I can finally call family."

"Same here. It's a nice feeling." Walker took a look around to see people looking at them and he shrugged it off. "Hopefully we'll find out something tomorrow."

**The Next Morning**

Because of the heavy curtains in the hotel room, it took the alarm clock to wake Jarod from a deep sleep. He stretched then turned to his brother's bed to see he wasn't there. This got him to bolt to his feet to check the room for any sign that Courdell could have left to get some breakfast. After he checked the bathroom he got dressed then left the hotel.

The cool morning air made him shiver and rub his arms to get warmth into them. As he walked the street he kept a look out for his brother who could be anywhere. He even called his name as fear began to drive his heart into a frantic beat. Why did his brother leave the hotel? Was it because of a seizure? If so, he could be anywhere.

After several minutes of searching he decided to head back to the hotel room where he will call Trivette. As of late, Cordell, possibly from the medication or the seizures would just start wondering. This was something new that just started after he was beaten by Marcellinio and his goons. Another note to write up for Hayden and Miller who was suppose to see Cordell when he got back to Dallas.

Once back in the hotel room Jarod began to pace and check his watch to see it has been an hour since he got up himself. He'll give his brother another thirty minutes to show up and if he didn't he will call Gage or Trivette. He sat down at the table near the door then began his wait for his brother as questions ran through his mind. What if he suffered a seizure and was now laying somewhere injured? Or worse, what if Harris got hold of him?

After thirty minutes passed he got up and took out his cell phone where he was about to dial Trivette's number when the door to the room opened. In walked his brother who appeared to be in pain as he turned to Jarod.

"Where the hell have you been!" Jarod's voice made Cordell cringe and bring his left hand to his head. "Are you okay? Did you suffer a seizure?"

"I had to go for a walk." Cordell closed the door then shook his head. "I'm okay, don't have to worry about me all the time."

Jarod was shocked at his brother's attitude. "I have all right to worry. What if you suffered a seizure and got injured? Or what if Harris…" Walker's breathing began to get quicker and Jarod could see him clinching and unclenching his jaw. Jarod shook his head and stepped up to his brother who quickly looked away from him. "I know, you don't like this, but until we know for certain from Hayden or Miller…."

Walker looked Jarod right in the eyes. "I'm through with this! I'm tired of everybody worrying about me!" He shook his head as he took a step closer to Jarod. "Wish this never happened to me! Wish I was dead!"

With those words, Walker's head suddenly cleared and he slumped down on Jarod's bed. Why did he just ash out like that? Why were there times where he couldn't control his anger? It was so embarrassing to act like he did, but he couldn't help it. He checked his watch to see it was almost time to take his morning medication.

"Here, let me get the pills ready for you." Jarod got the notebook and handed it to Walker. "Feel better now?"

"I'm sorry for lashing out like that." Walker's voice was low as he opened the notebook to the middle. "Just wish I can control it."

Jarod sat down next to him with four pill bottles in his hands. "It's okay, really."

Walker slowly nodded his thanks then checked off the colors in the notebook that he saw on the pill bottles. Then he wrote down the amount of sleep he got, which was only five hours. No wonder his seizures have been more frequent, he hardly got any rest. Maybe that was the cause for his irritability as of late.

After he took his medication Jarod patted his back. "Let's get something to eat."


	17. Chapter 17

At the same café they ate at for dinner, Walker ordered a southwestern omelet while Jarod ordered pancakes. After they ordered their meal, Walker took a deep breath then looked his brother right in the eyes. Walker knew he really screwed up this morning, but he had to clear his head. For the longest time he was unable to get away from anybody and when he saw Jarod was sound asleep this morning, Walker took the opportunity to visit the sweat lodge, which thankfully he found nobody else there except for one elder who happily let him in. It has been a long time since he meditated like that, but the humidity played havoc with his sore muscles and broken bones.

"So, what did you do this morning?"

Walker took a deep breath then shrugged his good shoulder. "Visited the sweat lodge. Needed to clear my head."

Jarod nearly choked on his water. "Wait, sweat lodge? Those exist?"

This got a chuckle from Walker. "Yeah, they do. Talked to the elder and he's allowing you entry later today after we visit with Running Bull."

"Oh really, okay." Jarod leaned over the table. "So, what do you do?"

Walker looked up as the waitress handed them their meals. "Thanks." When she left, he smiled at his brother. "Well, you strip down and sit in a very hot, thatch hut to think about your life and to let the spirits talk to you."

Jarod got a disbelieving look on his face. "Are you serious?"

"You're pancakes are getting cold." Walker winked at his brother and began to eat his omelets. "Wonder what we will find out today?"

Jarod shrugged his shoulders. "Hopefully, something that will help clear the mystery." His voice faded off when he heard Cordell's fork drop onto his plate. Then just like that, he began to go into full body convulsions. "Crap!" Jarod quickly got up, gently grabbed hold of Cordell's body then laid him on the ground. "Hang in there, bro."

The waitress ran up to them, her face masked in fear. "What is wrong with him?"

"He's having a seizure."

Cordell began to make strange noises and Jarod tried to open his mouth to see if their was any food in it. But his brother's teeth were clenched too tightly to do so. He heard from Alex to roll Cordell over on his side so he wouldn't drown if he happened to vomit during a seizure. As he did this, his brother began to relax, but he was still making noises. Jarod realized with horror his brother was choking on food.

"Shit." He looked up at the waitress as he began to pound on Cordell's back. "Cordell, hang in there!" With a sudden jerk and a violent cough his brother spat out the food that had gotten caught in his windpipe. "Cordell, you okay?"

His brother coughed several times then groaned as he slowly sat up. "Water."

Quickly the waitress handed Cordell a glass of water. "Here you go, sir."

"Thanks." Walker took a few timid sips then handed the glass to Jarod. "Sorry." His voice was low as he fought off the drowsiness that was taking over his mind.

An older man ran up to them, fear obvious in his wrinkled face. "Washo! Help me take him to the office. I have a couch back there that he can lay on."

**Dallas, Texas**

Fall was upon the Metroplex and it was finally getting colder as the trees changed their colors. Officer Scott King sat in his patrol car, a burger in one hand and his cell phone in the other. For the last few weeks he has been stationed at Hillbrooke Elementary School so he could keep a close eye on the Walker children. It was a boring, but it gave him time to think about the descision he was about to make in his life.

The phone rang and he instantly answered it. "Harris, what's the update?"

"Things are moving too slow for my liking." The criminal sighed heavily. "I don't know if I can wait for Walker to fully heal. That could take months."

"From what I heard, he's healing quicker than you might think. He's stubborn as hell and that will go a long way." King put the burger down so he could pick up a little notebook from his dashboard. He flipped through it till he got to the page he was looking for. "Right now he's in Oklahoma with Jarod Williamson."

Harris smirked. "Marcellinio was stupid to trust that man."

King sat up straighter as a thought came to him. "Speaking of, Marcellinio is being transferred to a holding cell in a maximum security prison. Which means he will have to travel." King wiped his hands on a napkin. "November fifteenth at one-thirty pm. Gives us three weeks."

"And what about the children? Have you got a family figured out yet?'

"Yeah, sure do. They live far, far from here." King flipped his notebook to another page. "Family is very trustworthy and have been wanting kids, but don't want the hassle of an infant." King laughed. "Don't we all."

"Good to know that something is going as planned. Keep an eye on the kids. We'll act on that as planned. With Walker in his weakened state, he won't be able to do much." Harris paused for several minutes. "I'll keep you updated."

**Oklahoma**

Confusion. That was what Walker felt as his mind slowly awoke from a deep sleep. Then sharp pain in his shoulder made him hiss and sit upright. He turned his head to see Jarod on a chair with his head in his hands. His brother raked his fingers down his face then gave Walker a warm smile.

"You gave me a scare." He took a deep breath and got up. "Even called Hayden."

Walker's heart began to beat faster which made his head pound even more. "What happened?"

"You had another grand-mal seizure. This time you nearly choked on your food." Walker could see that his blue eyes held a lot of emotional pain. "Hayden told me it rarely happens and if I wasn't there," he sighed heavily and shook his head. "Cordell, I think you need to up the dosage on your seizure medication."

"You don't understand. My medication is already been changed numerous times, I can't do it anymore. It's already controlling my life, this will just make it worse." Walker's voice was strained with trying to control his anger.

Jarod raised his hands in defense. "Look, I didn't know..."

"Didn't know that Phenobarbital is a drug they use on the streets!?" Walker's heart nearly ripped out of his chest it was beating that hard . "I'm taking a drug that people crave, that people get addicted to." He shook his head then rubbed his hand across his face, his fingers tracing the fresh scar on his left cheek. "I have arrested people that were high on Phenobarbital! Hell, you probably did to!"

"I'm sorry, I forgot." Jarod actually appeared hurt before his face quickly turned to one of concern. "Have you been taking it?"

Walker was furious with this question. "I'm stubborn, not stupid!"

His brother slowly nodded his head. "I'm sorry. Let's just drop it."

"Fine." Walker took a deep breath as he tried to relax. "How long was I asleep for?"

Jarod took a look at his watch. "Two hours and ten minutes." Walker's stomach growled loudly and a smile spread across Jarod's face. "Let's get you something to eat."

Back on the restaurant floor, Walker saw several employees look directly at him. His anxiety kicked in which made his heart flutter and his breathing to quicken. Embarrassment made his cheeks flush a bright red. He had to get out of her and quick.

"Do you want to sit down?" Jarod put his hand on Walker's back. "Are you okay?"

Walker shook his head. "I need to get out of here."

"What you need is to get some food in you. You haven't eaten since last night…"

"I said I want to leave." Walker began to make his way to the front door. "Just get some food to go." Jarod grabbed his good arm and stopped him. "Please, just leave me alone right now." When his brother didn't let go anger surged through Walker. He tried to pull his arm free, but Jarod had a good grip. "Let me go! I said I wanted to leave!"

The outburst caused the restaurant to quite down and Walker, as fast as he could left the building. He tried to push the pain aside as he made his way pass his truck. He had to get away from here, away from the humiliation. As he walked, his mind began to think about his life with seizures.

Ever since that day five years ago, he was forced to suffer through countless epileptic attacks that always left him feeling inadequate. He couldn't do the things he loved without the fear of hurting himself. With martial arts, it was hits to the head that might just trigger something inside his damaged brain. For horse back riding, it was the fear of falling while he had a seizure. Why did he have to suffer like this?

"Cordell!" Jarod called as he ran to Walker's side. "You need to stop."

"Why? Just so that people can mock me!" The words had come out before Walker was able to stop them. Why couldn't he control these embarrassing outbursts?

Jarod shook his head. "Nobody is making fun of you." Walker kept his mouth shut as he kept moving forward. "Please, stop Cordell."

Walker did stop, but his anger was the strongest he has ever felt it and knew he was about to regret what was about to happen.

"Why are you here, Jarod? Why do you care so much about me?" Walker's voice showed his internal struggle to control himself. It was shaky and he choked on the words. "You never knew me before that day! So, why now have you decided to become a brother to me!" He shook his head. "I have lived many years without a family! I don't really need you…"

Jarod did something completely unexpected; he hugged Walker. It wasn't an awkward hug, instead it was full of warmth and love. Unsure of what to do, Walker began to pull away, which caused him pain.

"Listen, we need to be there for each other." Jarod pulled back and shook his head. "Sure, both of us have been alone for most of our lives, but that changed the day we found out we were twins." He smiled at Walker. "Try to push me away all you want, I'm not going to leave. I'm here to help you through this."

Walker dropped his head ashamed at what he had just said to Jarod. "I'm sorry. Really wish I could control what I say. But as of late, it has been hard to do so."

"It's okay." Jarod grinned at Walker. "Let me get some food and will go some place to talk."

XXXX

Several minutes later, Jarod and Cordell found themselves at a park picnic table with their lunches in front of them. The cool, November breeze whipped around them, but neither man shivered. Jarod took out his meal, put it in front of him then took out Cordell's sandwich.

"I know we just met, but I can tell you are hiding a lot of demons." He cut up Cordell's sandwich then slid the container in front of his brother. "What's going on?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Jarod took a deep breath knowing to help out his brother he too will have to share some secrets of his own. He swallowed down his pride then looked Cordell straight into his good eye. His brother's attention wavered and went to the food before him.

"When I was eighteen years old, I was constantly picked on at high school because I took gymnastics." He played with his food as the memories came back. "I was called several names by a certain kid at school. Let's just say this hurt my ego and I took matters into my own hands." He shook his head. "I beat the kid enough to send him to the hospital. And, since I had a record already, the police gave me an alternative. Jail or military." His brother had looked up at him. "That ego still gets me in trouble."

"I was called names as well, while growing up. Back then, I was made fun of because of my skin and eye color." He began to play with his food. "Growing up here, I had no real family support. All I had was Uncle Ray." He took a deep breath then cleared his throat. "When I had joined the military and then when I became a Texas Ranger, many people here were very proud of me. Coming back here, like this," his left hand went to his eye patch and shaved head. "I screwed up."

Jarod was now confused at his brother's words. "What do you mean, you screwed up?" Cordell just shook his head and tried to eat his meal. "Cordell, please talk to me."

Walker felt the anger swell in his heart, but a part of him knew Jarod was right. He took a glance around him to see the park was still empty. For some reason, anxiety kicked in once again at the thought of telling his brother what he had said to Billy four years ago.

He sighed heavily then tore his eye away from Jarod. "About four years ago Billy had called me to see if he could visit me. At that time I really didn't want to talk anybody. He insisted which got me mad." Walker shook his head. "He eventually hung up, but three days later, Elder Running Bull called me. That didn't go too well." He bit his lower lip as shame made it difficult to continue. "He wanted me to visit James Yearling, a traditional doctor here. I then told him that I no longer believed in the sorcery of the witch doctors and to never call me again. He didn't."

"Ouch." Jarod shook his head. "How do you think he'll treat us today?"

"Not sure, I really disrespected the tribe when I said those words." Walker took a glance at his brother to see understanding in his eyes. "That's the reason why I went to the lodge today. I was hoping it would clear my head. It didn't."

Jarod pointed at Walker. "Speaking of which, how did you get to the sweat lodge?"

"Called a cab." He smiled at his brother. "Thank you."

"What are brother's for?" Jarod got up, went around the table and sat next to Walker. "Don't ever forget, I'm here for you."

Walker patted his brother's shoulder. "Thanks."


	18. Chapter 18

**Okay, the last chapter was really fast and didn't flow very well. After several days of rewrites, I think I finally accomplished what I was hoping for. Apologize for any confusion. Going to take the story to a different level than what I was originally going to take it.**

An hour later the brother's found themselves back at the hotel so Walker could start his daily reading and pattern exercises. Even though he hated it, Walker knew it had to be done. So here he sat at the small table in their room with his workbook before him. On the page was several pattern drills, which to several people would seem simple. But to him it might as well be ancient hieroglyphs.

Jarod sat down across from Walker eating some of the grape dumplings he had bought the day before. "Man, these things can get addicting. Want one?"

"Sure." After eating one of the dumplings Walker returned to his drills. "I can't figure out this problem." Walker began to tap his pencil against the table top. "I don't get what I'm suppose to do here." His voice showed his humiliation. "Can you help me?"

"No problem." Jarod leaned over and put his finger over one of the symbols. "Just think one at a time."

Walker took a deep breath and did as Jarod told him to do. There, a triangle with slash marks. He smiled at his brother then went to finish the problem using this new technique. Once he picked what he hoped to be the correct symbol he started a new problem.

Jarod took a glance out the window and quickly got up. "It's Billy."

Walker snapped his head up to see Jarod opening the door to allow Billy in. "Billy, what are you doing here?"

Billy smiled at Walker then gave Jarod a nod. "How are you two doing today?"

"Good. Cordell's doing his exercises." Jarod took a look at Walker then at Billy. "I'm going to go for a little walk. Be back in about an hour."

Once Jarod had left, Billy sat across from Walker with a frown on his face. "It has been too long, my friend since we have talked."

"What do you want to know?" Walker tried to focus on the problems before him which by now have returned to a blur. "If you want to hear it, I'm sorry."

Billy shook his head. "What has gotten into you, Washo?"

Walker closed the book then leaned backwards into his chair. "To put it bluntly," he slowly traced the scar on his hairline. "I suffered a severe brain injury. Unfortunately, it took away my ability to read, to write and to recognize patterns." He shook his head. "That's mild compared to the seizures."

"Washo, don't let that control who you are. The Washo I knew would never let that get in the way…"

"You try to deal with this, day in and day out!" Walker took a deep breath to try and control the anger inside of him. "I'm no longer the man you use to know, Billy. Please just understand that. The damage done to my brain is irreversible."

Billy took a long look at his friend to see the many scars that traced his scalp and face. One could see very clearly where Washo had surgery to remove the blood clots in his brain. Why did his friend never call him? What was he so ashamed of? He took a glance down at the textbook before them then back up at Washo.

Washo shook his head and slid the book towards Billy. "Go ahead, look through it. See that your once smart friend is now stupid."

"You are not stupid…"

"My eight year old daughter can read better than me now! You know how embarrassing it is when your own daughter corrects you!" Walker's face flushed with anger. "I can no longer read a newspaper or a menu! I'm stuck getting help with the most simple of reading problems. You will never understand how it feels!"

The anger he saw in Washo took Billy aback. Ever since he knew Walker his friend never acted like this. Was this another side effect of the head trauma? He stared into his friend's good eye, still not accustomed to seeing the eye patch. According to recent news reports, Walker had lost his right eye after a gang of kids attacked him. How much more trauma could his friend's body go through?

Billy took a deep breath then nodded his head. "No, I don't know how it feels, but I'm here for you Washo. This whole tribe is here for you." He pointed at his friend. "We watch over our people." He shook his head. "Why did you say the things you did to Running Bull?"

"I can't control my anger." Washo's voice was very low. "It's getting worse." He shook his head. "Ever since I was hit in the head last time, it seems that something was switched in my brain. I can't control my emotions, especially my anger and depression."

His attention went to a bright pink scar above Washo's right ear. "Washo, don't ever be ashamed of what had happened to you." He laced his hands on the tabletop. "You are much better than this." He leaned forward. "I heard you went to the lodge this morning. How did that work for you?"

Walker shook his head. "Not good."

"I will join you and Jarod at seven o'clock." He slowly got up. "I hope you and your brother find out something when you visit the elders." Billy went up to Washo and tried to pat his shoulder, but his friend quickly pulled away. "I would like for you two to come over for dinner tomorrow night."

"I owe you that much." Walker slowly stood to his feet. "Sorry, I had surgery on my right shoulder a few weeks ago. Still tender." He stuck his right hand out, or the best he could and Billy gave it a gentle shake. "Thanks for visiting. See you tonight."

XXXX

Few hours later Jarod found himself inside a small, sparsely decorated room sitting at a large table with Running Bull and Robert, both Elders at the Reservation. Robert sat with his arms laced on the table top, his attention on Cordell. As for Running Bull, he looked at Jarod for a long time before a smile spread across his face.

"Washo, how are you?" He asked.

"Been better, Harris." Cordell sheepishly shook his head. "I'm sorry for the words that I have said to the both of you. I hope you two will forgive me."

Logan Robert slowly nodded. "The words you said were very hateful. But I will forgive you." He took a look at Jarod then at Cordell. "I had heard what happened at Sally's…"

Cordell took a deep breath. "What's in the folder?"

Harris rubbed his hand over the worn manila envelope then slid it across the table to Jarod. No words were said as Jarod picked the packet up, his hands shaking with anticipation. He turned to Cordell to see his brother looking at him then urging him on with a smile.

Jarod took a deep breath then opened the torn flap and a smell of musty old paperwork hit his senses. What laid inside was as old as he was and might hold the secret to his life. Very carefully he pulled out a piece of paper to see it was his original birth certificate. A huge smile spread across his face as Cordell inched closer to get a better look at the document.

He shifted the paper just right so his brother could see it. "Its says here that my name is, Corbett Ezekiel Firewalker." He gently nudged Cordell's arm. "What's your middle name?"

Cordell let out a chuckle. "Nathanial." He pointed to the envelope. "What else is in there?"

Jarod slid the birth certificate to the side then reached in for another piece of paper. This one was much thicker, kind of like thin cardboard. As he pulled it out he saw it was a picture of two infant boys laying in a crib.

Cordell pointed to the bigger of the infants. "That's me, right there. If that's me, then that has to be you." He shook his head. "You were so small."

Harris nodded in agreement. "You two came prematurely and doctors told John and Elizabeth that Corbett will not make it to see his first birthday." He sighed heavily. "Washo weighed little over six pounds and you, Jarod barely weighed five. Your parents decided to keep the strongest and put the other twin up for adoption." He shook his head. "They didn't have the money to keep you alive, Jarod. It shamed your parents. So, they put all the paperwork in this folder, gave it to me and told me to not say a word."

The news hit Jarod hard enough to get him to clear his throat as tears threaten to come to his eyes. He rubbed the picture of him knowing now the reason why his parents gave him up for adoption. It was love for Jarod that had made the difficult decision. Cordell had told Jarod he had grown up poor, his father, their father unable to keep a steady job.

"John and Elizabeth loved the both of you so very much. They made sure that you went to a loving family." Harris slowly nodded. "I will give you and Washo some time to think."

The two elders left leaving the brothers alone with their thoughts. Walker took a deep breath as he glanced down at the photo of him and Jarod. Here was undeniable proof he had a brother. Wonder if he reacted at all when Jarod was taken away?

He reached for the envelope to see there was a note inside of it. "Hey Jarod, there's another piece of paper in here."

Jarod took the envelope from Walker. "Let me see." He took out the piece of paper then slowly unfolded it. "It's a letter."

Walker glanced at the paper to see only black blurs. "What does it say?"

"Dear Corbett, This is your mother, Elizabeth. Me and John so much wanted to keep you, to take care of you but you needed so much medical attention and we couldn't afford it. If you are reading this, you have found Cordell. I hope you two have found each other early in life and was able to spend time together. I love you and Cordell so much. Take care of each other. Though time may have passed, don't forget, you two are brothers. Love, Mother." Jarod took a deep breath. "Wow, I…I'm speechless."

The tears almost came to Walker's good eye as he stared at the letter with his mother's hand writing on it. He wished he could read her words, instead all he could see was a giant, garbled mess. This realization got him to finally shed a tear which ran down his cheek to fall on his shirt sleeve.

"I can't read it." Walker's voice wavered as he ran a finger along the yellowed paper.

He felt a gentle hand rub his back. "You want to walk around a bit. I brought the chair."

Walker slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, I would love that."

Once outside, Walker went to his truck then leaned against it. He watched as Jarod got out the wheelchair from the backseat. He hated using the chair, but long distances were still tough for him to walk because of his legs. And since his shoulder was injured, along with both of his hands he had to have somebody push him as well. It was downright humiliating for him to get so much help from people.

Jarod began to push the chair through the small parking lot. "How you doing, Cordell?"

"I don't know." Walker shook his head. "Just wish our parents didn't give you up for adoption. Just makes me feel…" He took a deep breath. "Why was I the lucky one to stay?"

"Don't worry about it too much." Jarod pushed Walker down the street. "The family that adopted me was extremely loving and caring." He paused for several minutes. "You should meet them sometime. Christopher and Helen are great people, you'll love them."

"Could invite them down for Christmas." Walker suddenly felt jealous towards his brother who had lived and still talked to people who he considered parents. "Would love to meet them someday."

Jarod stopped the chair then made his way to Walker's front. "Chris and Helen raised me almost from day one." He bent down to get a look into Walker's only eye. "I'm jealous of you. You knew mom and dad. I never got a chance to." Jarod then gave him a huge smile, one eerily similar to Walker's own. "So, you think I should change my name to Corbett?"

Walker actually had to chuckle. "You sure don't look like a Corbett." He tilted his head ever so slightly as he studied his brother's face. "Are you serious about it?"

"Why not? Got nothing to loose." He gave a shrug then patted Walker's knee. "Hell, I'll go all the way." He went to the back of the chair and began to push once again. "Corbett Walker. I like the sound of it."

"Yeah, same here." Walker was stunned at Jarod's acceptance of who he really was. "Wonder how the guys back home will say about it."

Jarod had a laugh at this. "In a few days we'll find out."

**Two Hours Later**

The sweat lodge experience was definitely something that Jarod will never forget any time soon. What his brother had told him at the restaurant had proven to be right. He was a bit self conscious stripping down and walking into a hut with only a towel wrapped around his waist, but after seeing Cordell do it so nonchalantly it made him realize it was just like going into a sauna. And once inside he was told by Cordell and Billy to let his mind free.

And now, an hour later Jarod sat in a locker room waiting for his brother to put his clothes back on. His mind went back to what had come to him while in the sweat lodge. While in the lodge, thoughts of his current situation made him realize how fortunate he was to have met Walker when he did. If it wasn't for meeting his brother, who knew where he would be at right now. Let's just hope, he can now be there for Cordell.

Cordell slowly made his way towards Jarod, his face etched in pain. "Think I did something to my shoulder when trying to put my shirt on."

Jarod stood and shook his head. "How bad is the pain?"

"Enough, to even cause me problems." He gently rubbed at his shoulder, grimacing as he did so. "Where's Billy?"

"Waiting outside by the truck." He gave Cordell a huge grin. "So, that's the lodge, huh?"

"Yeah." Cordell gave him a sheepish grin. "Nothing really fancy about it."

"True, but it was definitely an experience." He put his hands on his hips. "It made me think, about us." He cleared his throat as his emotions made his voice crack. "I have decided, as soon as we get back to Dallas, I'm no longer Jarod Williamson. I will be Corbett Walker." He took a deep breath. "Now, it's going to take some getting use to, but it will honor mother and father."

Cordell nodded as his grin got bigger. "That it will." His smile slowly faded. "I was thinking about my life now." He shook his head. "I have to find a way to harness my anger and frustration. Unfortunately, it seems I have no control over my feelings. Just wish you knew me before the attacks."

Jarod gave Cordell a smile. "Well, I'm here now. And about your anger, have you tried to harness it creatively?" His brother gave him a puzzled look. "I mean, with me, even though I had gymnastics and martial arts to keep me in line, I still suffered from anger outbursts. So, Christopher introduced me to the guitar." He sheepishly shrugged at Cordell. "Been playing off and on for several years."

"Wait, you play guitar?" Cordell shook his head with a smile. "I guess apparently you got the talent side of the Walker family. Do you sing?"

"Yeah, I actually do." Jarod shrugged. "Use to lead my church's youth musical department." He beamed at Walker. "So, do you do anything creative?"

Cordell laughed. "Not that I know of. Can't draw, play any musical instruments or sing."

"Well, we might have to change that." He sighed heavily. "Let's head back to the truck."

"Listen, tomorrow you want to visit mother and father?"

Jarod smiled at Cordell. "Yeah, I would like that."


	19. Chapter 19

**Dallas, Texas - The Next Day**

As school ended Angela quickly made her way down the hall towards the old gymnasium which was now an early learning center. She had attended this same center when she was Ray's age and it had helped her when she attended kindergarten. Now, she was in a special academics class for the gifted which she took three times a week. Sure she got made fun of for being so smart, but it kept her busy.

Once she reached the old gymnasium she quickly noticed a police officer talking to Ray. She quickly ran up to them knowing her little brother shouldn't talk to anybody except for their uncles. Ray waved at her then ran up to Angela with a huge smile on his face.

"Mr. King, said he can take us home!" Ray hugged Angela. "Can we?"

Angela shook her head. "Remember Ray, we can only take rides from Uncle Jimmy or Uncle Gage." She smiled at the officer. "We're fine, officer."

The officer slowly nodded his head. "Very well." He quickly straightened to his full height as Uncle Gage came walking up to them. "I'll be on my way."

As the officer left, Uncle Gage squatted down to get a better look at Ray. "Do any of you know who that officer is?" When Angela shook her head no, Uncle Gage nodded. "Well, who's in the mood for some ice cream?" He beamed as Ray began to excitedly jump up and down. "All right, let's get going. Come on Angie."

Later at the frozen yogurt stand, Gage sat the Walker children down at a table then took out his phone. Something about the officer at the elementary school really troubled him. He dialed Trivette's number hoping his friend will be at the office and near his computer.

"Yeah, Gage. What's up?"

"Are you at your desk?"

"I'm near, hang on." Gage could hear his friend walking then a squeak of an office chair. "Okay, I'm here. What's going on?"

Gage kept an eye on the Walker children as he began to pace. "An officer with the last name King went to pick up Ray and Angela from school. He's with Irving PD." He heard Trivette typing away on his keyboard. "Thank goodness Angela didn't buy it."

Trivette sighed heavily. "Okay, thankfully there is only one King on the force. First name is Scott, he's been with PD for five years. He has a perfect record, nothing to raise any red flags. Maybe he was just trying to help?"

"Not sure about that. He seemed rather surprised to see me." He bit his lower lip. "Have somebody check in on him. I'm getting a really bad vibe."

"Okay, Gage. I trust you on this. Are you with the Angie and Ray right now?"

"Yeah, I'll be with them for awhile. Call me back if you find anything."

**Oklahoma**

After nearly two hours of driving, Jarod found himself parked about a mile off a gravel road, in front of a small grave yard. He knew without being told where Cordell had led him to. Here, before him was the graves of their parents. But why all the way out here? He slowly got out, went around to the passenger side and helped Cordell. His brother thanked him, then slowly started to make his way to the graves that were nearly hidden in the prairie grass.

Jarod swallowed hard as nerves ran through him. "Why by themselves?"

"They didn't want the traditional Cherokee funeral." He stopped to turn to Jarod. "My father never told me about my heritage. I found out when Uncle Ray adopted me and moved me to the reservation."

"Shame we will never know why he did that." Jarod stepped through the grass till he came upon the headstones. He then knelt down and closed his eyes. "Just wish I got to know them." His brother stepped to his side and let out a low whimper. "Cordell?" He quickly stood to see a tear running down Cordell's face. "What's wrong?"

Cordell shook his head. "I can't read their names." A look of defeat washed over his face. "Wish I could read their names."

Jarod put his hand on the cool gravestone, covering up all the letters except for the first one. "What is this letter?"

A weak smile spread across his brother's face. "E. That's mom."

Walker blushed at his inability to read their parent's names, but he had to remember it was his brain injury that was hampering him. Ever so slowly he stepped up to the two stones, his mind going back to the day their parents were buried. He was young, but it was a day he will never forget. On that afternoon there was three people here: A pastor, a police officer and himself. Wonder what Jarod was doing on that day?

"It's funny, I don't remember that day." Jarod rubbed their father's headstone. "I know I was living in KC at the time and it was before Christopher moved us to St. Louis." He shook his head. "I'm sorry you had to see them get murdered, Cordell."

With those words the brothers remained quiet for several minutes, each of them lost in their own thoughts. With Walker, the night of the carnival flashed before him. It had been the happiest and one of the most heart wrenching moments in his life. And now, more than ever he felt guilty. Though he was young, he did get to know his parents. He had heard their laughter and their stories, whereas Jarod never had that opportunity.

"It must have been horrible, that night." Jarod kissed both the headstones then laid a single wildflower on each grave. "I'm back, mother and father. Don't you worry none, I'll watch over Cordell." His voice shook with emotion. "Even though I never knew ya two, I love you both."

Walker gently rubbed Jarod's back. "I know they are very proud of you."

Jarod shook his head. "As a teenager I got into a lot of trouble. I didn't have a very clean record as a kid. I was rebellious, always pushing the boundaries." He stood back up, hands on his hips. "Didn't tell you about my pick pocketing days. Got pretty good at stealing somebody's watch from their wrist without them knowing. Once I got into the military, my life changed completely. It straightened me up real quick." He turned to Walker. "I bet you never got into trouble with the law."

"Well…." Walker sighed heavily as he felt his cheeks flush. "I technically don't have a license. Hayden and Miller… they really don't want me driving right now."

"Of course, after what Marcellinio did to you…."

Walker shook his head. "No, before that." His voice was quiet as he told Jarod his little secret. "I've always been independent and it bugged me not being able to drive…."

"Cordell, surely you are not that…." Jarod quickly took out Walker's wallet. He flipped it open then let out a string of curses. "I thought you were smarter than that. Why risk all those lives…."

"I was selfish." Walker dropped his eyes to the ground. "Thought I could do it."

"Cordell! Does Alex know?"

"No, and I don't want her to find out."

Jarod rubbed his hands through his Mohawk then took a deep breath. "Okay, since I'm here now and technically don't have a job, I will be your driver." Walker tried to protest, but Jarod waved his hand to stop him. "Cordell, I'm your bro. I'm here for you. Even if I do get a job, it won't ever get in the way if you need a ride."

"I can't ask you to do that for me…."

His brother patted Walker's good shoulder. "Don't worry about it." He turned back to the graves then slowly nodded his head. "We should head back to the Reservation."

After the brothers said their farewells Jarod once again helped Cordell back into the truck. Once Jarod knew he was comfortable he got into the driver's side and started the engine. As he pulled onto the gravel road he glanced over at Cordell to see him nodding his head. Weird, he took the meds several hours ago, he shouldn't be….He then saw Cordell's hands began to twitch and he knew by that he was having a mild seizure.

He took a deep breath then patted Cordell's shoulder. "Hang in there bro, it's just a mild one." He then turned on the GPS unit. "Hopefully you'll be up in time for dinner."

**Grand Prairie, Texas**

After the phone call from King, Harris now knew things have taken an all new different level. He sat down at his dining room table which was scattered with several news clippings showcasing Marcellinio's case and Walker's condition. So, taking the kids was now out of the question, which left killing Jarod Williamson or Alex Cahill-Walker. He rubbed his face then checked his watch. He had to do something and he had to do it quickly.

He called a number on his cell phone then waited for his contact to answer. When he did finally answer Harris quickly stood and went to his kitchen.

"Porter, change of plans." Harris got an apple from a bag on the counter. "I need you to go the Reservation and finish Williamson."

"You know, if I do this, you owe me big time." Porter sighed heavily. "How long do I have?"

"Not very. Make it quick and if Walker gets in the way, kill him to."

**Oklahoma** - **One Hour Later**

The drive back to the Reservation was rather boring with Cordell asleep, but at least nothing happened during the seizure. He turned to check on his brother to see him asleep against the window, a pillow underneath his head. It seemed the only time Cordell got any decent sleep now was after he suffered a seizure. Cordell jerked in his sleep then began to moan. Must be having a nightmare, but Jarod should wake him up just in case.

As he reached over to wake up Cordell, flashing lights in the rearview mirror caught his attention. He let out a low groan as he pulled over onto the side of the road. Surely he wasn't speeding and Cordell kept his truck in excellent condition, so it couldn't be a busted taillight. He took a look in the rearview mirror to see the highway patrolman getting out of his vehicle. While the patrolman walked towards the truck Jarod got a strange feeling. He had only experienced it before while in the military and once as an officer. It always meant that something horrible was about to happen.

The patrolman reached the truck then tapped on the window with his nightstick. Jarod's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as his mind raced. He didn't do anything wrong, so why did this patrolman pull him over?

"Roll the window down now!" The patrolman shouted.

Jarod swallowed down his fear and shakily reached over to push the window button. Something wasn't right about this, he had to act quickly. He took a few deep breaths, threw the truck into drive then stomped on the gas. As he did this, the patrolman began firing towards them. The back window exploded getting a curse from Jarod and a jerk from Cordell. Why the hell was the patrolman firing upon him? He didn't use the truck as a deadly weapon and he sure as hell didn't act dangerous.

Cordell's head rolled over to him, his face contorting into confusion. "Did we wreck?"

"No, I just pissed off a patrolman!" Jarod veered into the opposite lane to avoid a slow moving vehicle. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so." He glanced over his good shoulder, his eye wide in shock. "What's going on?"

"Not entirely sure." Jarod reached down, grabbed Cordell's cell phone and tossed it onto his brother's lap. "Call Trivette. Maybe he knows what's going on." He cursed as he swerved the truck into the other lane. "Something isn't right about this."

It took Cordell only seconds to call his long-time friend by using the built in address book on the phone. Unfortunately his brain was still in a fog from the seizure and he had difficulties relaying what was happening. So, Jarod, while swerving to yet again avoid another slow vehicle grabbed the phone from his brother.

"Walker! Are you okay? Answer me!" Shouted Trivette.

"Don't worry, Cordell is okay." Jarod said as he pushed speaker and put the phone in it's holder. "Listen, we sort of ran into a problem here with a highway patrolman. He's kind of chasing us right now."

"What! Why?" He could hear Trivette talking to somebody then return to the phone. "Okay, we did get word of a police officer that tried to pick up Angie and Ray from school. Luckily, Angela was smart and didn't fall for it."

Cordell shook his head. "Jimmy, are you saying there are officers after me?"

"Seems like it. Okay, Billings called Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The officer who is chasing you didn't respond to his radio calls. He's gone rogue."

"Oh, that's super, great news." Jarod said, his voice bitter with sarcasm. He briefly turned his head to see Cordell staring out the windshield. "So, we just keep running?"

"Unfortunately, yeah." Trivette paused for a bit. "Just be careful. I'll stay on the line till help finally arrives."

Jarod shook his head. "Gee, thanks Jimmy for the help." He glanced at the speedometer to see he was reaching speeds usually incapable of doing in a pickup truck. "Geez Cordell, didn't know you had a bit of speed demon in you."

Cordell gave him a lopsided smile. "Got this truck when I was still a Ranger. Needed speed, so I upgraded." He shook his head. "Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of time to use it."

"Well, it's definitely coming in handy now." Jarod glanced at the rearview mirror in time to see the patrolman attempting the pit maneuver on the truck. "Hang on!"

"To what!" Cordell let out a loud wince as the truck rocked violently, crashing him into the passenger door. "Can't believe he's trying to ram us!"

Jarod locked the brakes on the truck which sent it careening into a controlled spin. His hands slapped at the steering wheel as Trivette's voice hollered through the phone. Tires squealed against the asphalt as Jarod attempted to get the truck back on line. The patrolman hit the truck once again and the sound of metal being crushed could be heard.

This hit made the truck's left side tires to leave the road and Jarod knew they were about to flip over. But by some miracle, the truck righted itself and he threw it into drive. By now Jarod's hands were clammy and his vision had begun to tunnel. His adrenaline was rushing so fast, he barely could hear Cordell's heavy breathing.

"Can somebody please tell me what the hell just happened!" Shouted Trivette through the phone.

"Had a bit of a problem. Think we're good now." Jarod briefly glanced at his brother to see Cordell tightly gripping his right arm. "Cord, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He winced as he glanced backwards. "Where did you learn how to drive like that?"

Jarod flashed his trademark smile at his brother. "That, I don't know."

Cordell chuckled. "Just, don't do it again." He nodded then pointed at the oncoming squad of police units. "Looks like help is finally here."


	20. Chapter 20

Walker was so happy to see the patrol vehicles that he actually began to laugh. Their ordeal was finally over and he was glad Jarod had gotten them through relatively unhurt. However, he had taken a nasty blow to his right shoulder which now throbbed with such intensity he didn't want to move.

Jarod slowed to a stop then put the truck into park. "You sure you're okay?"

"Not really, my shoulder hit the door pretty hard." He attempted to move which made him grimace. "Might have to get it looked at back in Dallas."

His brother shook his head. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be, you did amazing." Walker glanced at the rearview mirror to see the highway patrolman holding a pistol to his own head. "The man wants to end his life."

Jarod took a look in the mirror then shook his head. "Not the way to do…." He quickly got out of the pickup as several police officers came running towards them. "Hey, somebody stop him! He has info that we need!"

Walker rolled his eyes then slowly got out of the truck. "Jarod, stop!" He grimaced at the pain in his shoulder and an officer quickly made a beeline towards him. "I'm okay."

"But, sir. You're bleeding."

"What?" Walker glanced at his shoulder to see spots of blood on the fabric of his button up shirt. "Great, I tore some stitches." He turned to see his brother now pounding on the front window of the highway patrol car. "Jarod, that's not going to help!"

Jarod turned to Walker, his eyes widening in shock "Cord! You're bleeding!" He whipped back to the car as the patrolman began shouting at him. "Oh, you have a problem with me now! You're the one that tried to kill us!"

The door opened and the man stepped out while waving his gun in the air. "You know I can shoot you here and now! Tell me why I shouldn't do it!"

"Look around you! You are surrounded by police!"

Walker shook his head, now realizing what Jarod meant by having a temper. Hopefully Angela or Ray won't inherent that small little trait. He took one last look at his brother then followed a police officer to a waiting ambulance. His legs, were wobbly and it took all he had left to put one foot in front of the other. By the time he reached the paramedics he was winded and couldn't wait to sit down.

A paramedic ran up to Walker then ushered him to a waiting ambulance. "Sir, let me check out your shoulder."

"Thanks." He graciously sat down and allowed the medic to cut away his shirt. "I had surgery on my shoulder, probably popped a few stitches."

"Yeah, but it's actually not that bad." He reached inside the ambulance, grabbed a few packets of gauze then smiled at Walker. "I'll patch you up real quick and you can be on your way." He turned around when Jarod started to yell at the patrolman. "Doesn't your brother know he's shouting at a man with an armed weapon?"

Walker chuckled. "How did you know we're brothers?"

"You two look very similar." He taped the gauze on Walker's shoulder then gave him a nod. "All set. Just be careful with it."

"Thanks." Walker cradled his arm as he watched Jarod argue with the patrolman. "Jarod!" He called his brother's name several times, but got no response. "Corbett!"

For some reason this did get Jarod's attention and in one quick movement he slammed his elbow into the patrolman's face, took his gun and ejected the ammo clip. As the man collapsed to his knees, his hands covering his shattered nose the police rushed in for an arrest. Jarod took a few steps back, handed the dismantled gun to a waiting officer then made his way towards Walker.

"Why the hell did you just call me Corbett?"

"Because you didn't answer to your other name." Walker allowed his brother to help him stand. "How bad is the truck?"

"It's drivable." Jarod went to the truck and started to check the front bumper. "It'll need to be repaired." He put his hands on his hips. "Let's head back. I'm starving."

**Later That Night**

After a simple dinner of hamburgers and chips at Billy's house, Walker knew it was time to talk to his close friend and to apologize for his actions. While Jarod took the truck to go back to the hotel to get their bags, Walker went with Billy to his back porch where both sat in worn out lounge chairs. There was several minutes of silence before Billy let out a slight a cough.

"So, Washo what really has been happening with you?"

Walker took a deep breath then shook his head. "I have problems with reading and slight comprehension." He looked at his friend then back at the yard before him. "I barely can read past fourth grade level…." His voice faded as his depression tried to come to the surface. "My daughter…she can read better than me…."

"Washo, there is nothing to be ashamed of." Billy patted Walker's knee. "Unfortunately with the brain damage, reading and other simple tasks will not come easy for you." He shook his head. "I know, growing up you learned very quickly. You were the smartest kid in school and you know what, you still are very smart, Washo."

"Billy, I can't read a newspaper or a menu without asking for help…."

"So what?" Billy shrugged his shoulders. "You still can do other things, right?"

"If you say so." Walker blew through his lips as he started to nervously bounce his foot. "I barely can do math, write or read." He shook his head. "Just wish I knew what I can do…."

"You will find out eventually." Billy pointed at Walker's hands. "How long do you have before you get the casts off?"

Walker took a look at his hands then back at Billy. "Going to the doctor when I get back to Dallas. Hopefully I can get them removed, but my left hand will need another surgery." He sighed heavily. "Then, there's my shoulder. That's going to take awhile to heal."

Billy nodded. "Well, remember I'm here for you." He bit his lower lip then took a deep breath. "I heard about what had happened today at Sally's. Washo, are the seizures always like that?"

"Sometimes. But most the time it's hand twitching or I space out." He shrugged. "It's part of my life now." His left hand went to rub his head. "They're getting worse though." He took a deep breath. "I don't really want to go through another surgery again, but unfortunately it may happen."

"Well, if you do, call me." He turned around to get a glance through one of the back windows. "So, what do you think of Jarod?"

Walker started to chuckle just thinking about his brother. "A handful, but he's a blessing. So different from me and yet, very similar at the same time." He shook his head. "Still have trouble believing he's my twin."

"Same here. All of my life, I have only known you. To see somebody who looks so much like you," Billy paused to shrug his shoulders. "It's quite eerie. However, he has more Cherokee in him, which is a bit strange since he's suppose to be your twin."

"Tell me about it. He's even slightly taller." The smile slowly went from Walker's face. "Billy, he looks so much like our father. It brings back so many memories…."

Billy beamed. "You still have your memories. You could have lost that."

"You might be right." Walker heard the front door open and judging by the footsteps knew it to be Jarod. "Jarod, we're outside!" He shouted out.

Jarod walked onto the porch then threw himself into an empty porch chair. "Got us checked out of the hotel. Thanks, Billy for taking us in for the last few nights we're here."

"Not a problem. So, do you go by Jarod or Corbett now?"

"Corbett." Jarod shrugged his shoulders. "Cordell has been calling me Corbett since the chase and it just fits." He sighed then checked his watch. "It's time, Cord."

Walker groaned. "Thanks for the reminder." He tried to get up, but found it difficult to do. Jarod quickly came over and helped Walker to his feet. "Billy, unfortunately after I take my medication, I'll be out for the night."

Billy nodded at his friend. "Not a problem." He slowly stood and followed the brothers back inside his house. "How many pills do you have to take?"

"Enough." Washo said.

Washo chuckled as he went into the living room where two duffel bags and a smaller travel case sat by the couch. Jarod went to the latter and zipped it open to get a clear bag with several prescription bottles inside. All of which were either different colors or had a large colored dot on the label. It pained Billy to see his once strong friend so dependent on medication, but he had to remind himself it was now Washo's new life.

"Okay." Washo took out a worn blue, spiral notebook and flipped it open to the last page. "All right, I need the purple, blue, red and green bottles." He turned to Billy with an eye that held as much emotional pain as it did physical. "Purple is for seizures, green is an anti-inflammatory, red is for pain and blue is for depression." He explained to Billy.

Jarod pulled out a bottle with an orange dot. "Don't forget the sleep meds."

"Of course, the sleep meds." Washo's voice held a bit of distaste towards Jarod. "Sorry you had to see this, Billy."

"Not a problem." Billy stepped up to his friend to get a better look at the notebook. "That's a lot of medication. Any of it counteract each other?"

Jarod snapped his head up in surprise. "Well, look at you talking all medical." He chuckled as he started to take pills out of the bottles. "Not really. Doctor Miller and Hayden are usually pretty good at finding stuff that can work with the seizure meds." He handed Washo a bottle of water. "Unfortunately, Cordell tends to fall asleep rather quickly after taking the night time ones."

Billy let the brothers be as he went to get the guest bedroom ready for Washo. After he made sure the bed had a few extra blankets and a pillow he went back into the living room to see his best friend sitting on the couch with Jarod right next to him. The look on the latter's face told him something had just happened.

"Is Washo okay?" Billy made his way to his friend's side to see him slightly dazed. "Jar… I mean Corbett, what happened?"

"Just small tremors, nothing big." Jarod patted Washo's good shoulder. "Let me help you to the guest bedroom."

After Jarod got Washo comfortable in the guest bedroom he came back and slumped onto the couch. "He's asleep, but not sure for how long." Jarod rubbed his hands down his face. "He hasn't been sleeping well the last few weeks. Probably because of the pain."

"So, you've been staying with the Walkers then?" Asked Billy.

Jarod shrugged. "Had no choice. I really screwed up, got myself caught and was sentenced to house arrest. Cordell and Alex were generous enough to let me stay at the ranch."

Billy shook his head. "You are definitely different from Washo." Billy glanced at a photo of him and Washo sitting on one of the end tables to see a different man than who was in the guest bedroom. "Wish you knew him before the attacks."

"That's what I keep telling myself." Jarod's voice held a lot of pain as he spoke. "Just wish I knew he was my brother before the attacks." He shook his head and rested his elbows on his knees. "Billy, something's happened, he's gotten worse." His fingers ran through his short Mohawk. "When I first met him, the seizures rarely happened and the depression wasn't this severe. I know I just met Cordell, but I really worry about him Billy."

"Brothers are suppose to worry about one another, that's what they do." Billy nodded his head. "I'm glad Washo has somebody watching over him at all times."

Jarod gave Billy a nod. "Yeah, sometimes though Cord doesn't like people helping him out."

Billy had to laugh. "Tell me about it." He slowly got up to get a photo album from a cabinet. "Washo will kill me if he found out I showed you this book." He handed it to Jarod. "Many pictures in there are of when Washo first came to live at the Reservation."

"Wow, he looked just like me as a kid." Jarod pointed to a picture dating back to the early sixties. "I need to get some of my photos from my adoptive parents to show you guys."

"How are your adoptive parents, Corbett?"

"Love them like they gave birth to me." Jarod snapped his fingers and stood up. "Do you have a computer I can use?" When Billy nodded he took out his cell phone. "Great, maybe I can actually get some pictures for you to see."

As Jarod called somebody on his cell phone, Billy made his way to the guest bedroom to check on Washo. When he opened the door, his friend did not stir which worried Billy. Washo use to be a light sleeper, must be the medications he is on. Billy shook his head then went to the office where he found Jarod at the computer.

"What are you doing, Corbett?"

"I had Christopher, my adoptive father email me some pictures." He opened up an email with several pictures in it. "There ya go." He got up so Billy could sit down and look at the pictures. "Just a few to give you an idea."

What Billy saw in the first photo made him look very closely to make sure it wasn't Washo. The young boy in the photo stood in front of a large fountain, his smile showing he was having the time of his life. Though the boy's hair was much darker and he had a tan, Billy could see how he was suppose to be Washo's identical twin. The other picture was later on in Jarod's life. This one showed Jarod in a martial arts uniform, his hair buzzed into a short crew cut. It made Billy remember one photo he had and he quickly went to get it.

"I actually have a photo of Washo of when he was in martial arts." He went to the photo album, pulled out the picture in question and went back to Jarod. "Oh wow." Billy held the photo up so Jarod could get a look at it. "Amazing."

Jarod shook his head. "Wow, he looks just like me. That is simply amazing." He chuckled. "I always saw the resemblance, but this looks like the same person." He rocked back with a smile on his face. "Gotta show Cordell this in the morning."


	21. Chapter 21

�

In the morning, Walker slowly woke up, his whole body aching so badly he didn't want to move. He let out a groan as he opened his good eye to see he had somehow rolled over onto his right shoulder. _Boy this will be rather painful_, thought Walker as he attempted to move. He grimaced as a sharp pain ran down his arm completely immobilizing him. Man, how is he suppose to get up?

A moan from somewhere inside the room told him Jarod was also waking up. "Corbett?" It seemed strange to call his brother by any other name than Jarod. "You in here?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Walker heard Jarod yawn then the�squeaking of a camp cot as he stood. He then appeared next to Walker, the right side of his face pink from sleeping on it. "Here, let me help you."

"Thanks." Walker gritted his teeth as Jarod pulled him to an upright position. "Can you get an ice pack?"

"Sure." Jarod quickly ran out of the room and came back minutes later with a large ice pack and towel. "How's the pain?"

Walker shook his head. "Bad. Must have slept on it all night."

Jarod gently placed the pack on Walker's shoulder. "Just take it slow today."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Walker leaned against the headboard as Billy came in holding a cup of coffee. "Morning, Billy." He gave his close friend a smile. "What's for breakfast?"

Billy leaned against the doorframe then shrugged his shoulders. "Thinking about pancakes. But Corbett was talking about Southwest omelets." 

"Omelets sound good." Walker suddenly realized he didn't have his eye patch on and lowered his head. "Sorry, Billy. I forgot I had taken off the patch…."

"No need to worry." Billy stepped inside the room then went to Walker's side. "I was thinking, today I get you a leather eye patch." He seemed a bit embarrassed. "I mean…if it's okay with you?"

Walker beamed at his friend. "I think that's a great idea." 

Jarod sat down next to Walker and smiled. "So, you decided then on not having the surgery to repair your eye orbit?"

"Probably not for awhile." Walker's right hand slowly went and rubbed at the fuzz on his head. "I have a feeling I'll need another surgery somewhere else."

"You think it's gotten that bad?"

Walker slowly nodded. "Yeah, I do. I think it was the last few hits I received from Marcellinio." He took a deep breath then smiled. "Enough with this, let's go out and show you around."

Jarod appeared worried. "You up for it?"

"Yeah, I just have to be careful." Walker slowly stood with Jarod's help, his face blushing. "Thanks. I need to get washed up." 

Jarod watched as his brother made his way into the bathroom with a towel and a fresh pair of clothes. He checked his watch to see it was nearing time for Cordell's morning medication. Let's just hope today is a good day for his brother. After all Cordell did sleep rather well last night, possibly the best he has had since the last attack. 

While Cordell got himself ready in the bathroom, Jarod went into the kitchen to see how breakfast was coming along. He then got Cordell's pills ready, making sure he didn't miss any as he did so. After checking the medication off in the book, he wrote down the hours of sleep his brother got then made his way to the bathroom.

He knocked on the door then leaned against it's surface. "Cord, need help?"

"You know the answer to that, Corbett." Came the reply. "I'll be out shortly."

Jarod chuckled and made his way back into the kitchen to see Billy had set the breakfast table. "Thanks for breakfast."

"Not a problem." Billy placed a plate in front of Jarod. "Hope you enjoy it."

"Oh, I know I will." Jarod glanced up as Cordell slowly came into the kitchen, his shirt unbuttoned as usual. Because of his hands, his brother could barely do simple tasks like getting dressed or bathing. "Here Cordell, let me button your shirt for you."

Cordell blushed as he stepped up to Jarod. "Thanks, Corbett."

"Not a problem, what are brothers for?" He checked Cordell's chest injuries then his shoulder. "Burns look slightly inflamed. Let's put some ointment on them." Cordell huffed as he sat down in a chair. "You know it has to be done."

Billy watched as Jarod gathered Washo's pills then grabbed a tube from the small pill bag. As Jarod got a glass from the cabinet, Billy noticed a change in Washo. His friend's one good eye glassed over then slightly drooped closed. He remained this way for several seconds till his head began to bob up and down.

Jarod let out a curse as he put the pills and tube on the table. "Cord, you just had a seizure." He gave Washo a very gentle look, one a brother could only do. "You need to take your meds before you sleep it off."

"No, meds…." Washo started to fight Jarod. "Just leave me alone…."

"Sorry Billy, this sometimes happens after a seizure." Jarod gently patted Washo's knee as he put a cup of water in the latter's hands. "Now drink up and take your meds."

Washo dropped the cup, which clattered onto the floor. "No, don't want to."

Jarod quickly took hold of Washo's waist pulled him to a standing position then led him to the couch. "Just lay down." Washo did without argument and was soon asleep. "Sorry about that Billy. Happens rather rarely, but when it does, he's rather adamant about not taking his meds." He went back into the kitchen to clean up the water spilt by Washo. "He'll wake up shortly. It wasn't a bad seizure."

Billy glanced at his friend to see him laying on the couch, his hands crossed on top of his chest. "So, that was a seizure?"

"Yeah, it was." Jarod shook his head. "Hopefully it will be the only one for today, but I doubt it." He got the ointment, went to Washo's side then knelt next to him. "What do you want to do today?"

"Not really sure." Billy watched as Jarod tended to burns on Washo's chest. "What were those caused by?"

"Cattle prod." After he was finished Jarod gently pulled back Washo's shirt to check the suture site on the right shoulder. "He popped a few stitches." He shook his head. "If it's causing him problems, we should leave tomorrow morning." 

Billy nodded. "Understood. I hope he can recover from these injuries."

A look of pain crossed over Jarod's face. "I did this to him." He rubbed his hand down his face then started to massage the nape of his neck. "If I didn't get involved like I did with Marcellinio then Cordell may not be�suffering like he is…."

"Did you do this to him?"

Jarod shook his head. "No, but…."

"Then you are not at fault." Billy patted Jarod's back. "Come on Corbett, let Washo sleep. I have much to talk about with you."

**An Hour Later**

The grogginess that Walker felt as he came to was all too familiar to him and he let out a groan of frustration. He licked his lips then opened his good eye to see a white ceiling above him. Well, at least he didn't roll over onto his bad shoulder like the night before. Ever so slowly he tried to sit up, but found it difficult to do. Man, he really hated being like this. Hopefully once he heals from the injuries sustained in the torture things will be a little easier for him.

"Hey Cordell." Jarod appeared before him with a smile on his face. "Let me help you up."

"Thanks." Walker allowed his brother to pull him up. "How bad was it?"

Jarod shook his head. "It wasn't, though you did fight me a bit when it came time to take your medication." 

Walker blushed at this news. "I'm sorry. You got the meds ready?"

"Right here." Jarod gave him a bottle of water and a small paper cup with pills in it. "You weren't out long, only an hour this time."

"That's good." Walker swallowed the pills then glanced around to see Billy was nowhere in sight. "Where's Billy?"

"He went into town to get a few things." Jarod smiled at him. "Billy is a great guy. You're very lucky to have him as a friend."

Walker nodded. "Definitely. Need to keep in contact with him." The front door opened and in walked Billy with two small bags in his hands. "Hey, Billy."

"Washo! Nice to see you awake." He patted Jarod's back then sat down next to Walker. "Hope you don't mind, I got you a little something." He handed a brown bag to Walker. "I'm not really sure if it's even you or not."

Because of his casts, Jarod had to get the item out of the bag and when he did, Walker saw it was a black, leather eye patch with an embossed cross in the middle of it. He nodded his thanks and allowed Jarod to remove the old patch and to tie on the new one. The patch felt really good, much better than the one issued from the hospital.

"Looking sharp!" Jarod sat down on the other side of Walker. "I really like it." Billy handed him a small plastic bag. "And what did you get me?" He dug inside and pulled out a small wooden box with a Cherokee tribal design burned into it. "What is this?" He opened it up to see a silver harmonica. "How did you know?"

Billy beamed. "I noticed in one of the pictures you showed me last night, you had a harmonica in your hand." He shrugged. "Hope you like it."

"Like it, I love it!" Jarod took it out and ran it across his lips. He blew out a few chords with a huge smile on his face. "I haven't played one in years."

Walker shook his head in disbelief. "Are you sure we're identical twins?" He chuckled as Jarod began to play the harmonica. "You're actually quite good, Corbett."

Jarod ran the harmonica once more over his lips then turned to Walker. "All right, Cordell. It's time for a reading lesson." He got up, went to a bag and pulled out one of two youth novels Walker brought for the trip. "However, Billy is going to help ya out." He handed the book to Billy then smiled. "I'm going to start packing the truck. We should leave today so you can get the shoulder looked at."

Billy glanced the book over then opened it to where a page had been dog eared. "I just help you when you get stuck, right?" Embarrassed, Walker just nodded his head. "Washo, no need to be ashamed." He handed the book over. "Start reading. I'm here to help you out."

It was strange helping Washo out with tasks he would normally teach kids in Sunday school. No wonder his friend was depressed and irritated, his brain was locked in this kid like state. Washo grimaced as he got stuck on a word and when Billy glanced down he saw it to be "handwriting".

"Sound it out, Washo." 

Washo huffed then shook his head. "Ha…hand…wri….writ…writing. Handwriting." He blew through his lips and continued to read the rest of the page.

After a few more pages, Washo closed the book then leaned back into the couch. He took a deep breath and gently shook his head as though to clear it. His eye got slightly droopy, but instead of zoning out like before he actually tried to get up. Billy, unsure of what to do, gently helped his friend to his feet.

"Washo, are you okay?"

"Fine, I'm fine." His voice was barely audible as he began walking towards the front door. "Just need fresh air."

Confused to what was going on, Billy ran past Washo and out the door where he nearly collided into Jarod. "Corbett, something's wrong with Washo."

Quickly, Jarod and Billy ran back into the house to see Washo staring out the front window. The former went to his brother and gently put a hand on his back to guide him back to the couch. However, Washo wasn't going anywhere. He seemed to be rooted in this one spot, staring at nothing in particular.

Jarod shook his head then turned to Billy. "I think it may be the medication he's on. Sometimes, he just wonders or stares out like this." 

"I can't see him like this. I'll be right back."

Billy left the house to get some fresh air, his heart now aching so hard for his dear friend he wondered if the pain would ever go away. This was not the Washo he had known growing up, this was an all new person. Washo had been like a brother to Billy, but now they were so far apart, it seemed they didn't even know each other anymore.

Jarod stepped up to him, his hands on his hips. "You need to go back in there, let him know…."

"I can't. That's not Washo in there." Billy ran his hand down his face then turned to Jarod. It was strange to see a man that looked so similar to Washo, but wasn't him. "How do you do it, Corbett? You deal with it so well."

Jarod shrugged. "He's my brother." He gave Billy's back a gentle pat before he turned back to the house. "Come on, I think Cordell needs to know you're with him."

Billy took a deep breath then made his way back into the house. Here, he saw Washo sitting on the couch looking tired and frustrated. He sat down next to his friend who slightly turned to look at him.

"You don't like me like this, do you?" Washo's voice was slurred, but understandable.

"It's just different." Billy grimaced at his choice of words. "Sorry, just not real sure how to take to your new life…."

Walker gave him a lopsided smile. "You have always been blunt." His shoulders slumped forward. "I need to sleep though. I'll be better after a nap."

Jarod came in and nodded his head. "Truck is packed. You can sleep on the way home."

"Right." Walker slowly stood up. "Billy, I will call you." 

Billy gently gave his friend a hug. "Do come see us again."

"That we will." Jarod shook Billy's hand. "Come on Cord, let's get going."

\/p


	22. Chapter 22

**I call this a "filler" chapter. It's slower paced and I'm not to happy with it.**

**One Week Later**

The hospital room was chilly, but right now all Walker could think about was the upcoming brain surgery. After he had come home from the reservation Alex begged him to have an appointment with Doctor Hayden and Miller to figure out what was causing so many grand-mal seizures. Turns out, a blood clot has formed inside Walker's brain and he will now have to get it removed. Hopefully this will help and not hamper his recovery even more.

Alex took hold of Walker's hand and gave it a squeeze. "How you holding up?"

"Nervous as hell." Walker took a deep breath as his eye ventured to the clock on the wall. "Doctor Miller should be here any minute." His voice showed Alex his fear and he quickly cleared his throat. "I just hope this stops the grand-mal seizures."

Corbett appeared to Alex's right with a smile on his face. "I'm sure it will help."

"Well, Walker. You ready?" Everybody's attention went straight to Doctor Miller as he walked in with a team of nurses. "Alex, Jar…I mean Corbett. We're going to prepare Walker for surgery. You'll be able to see him again in two hours."

Walker said his good-byes to his family, including John and Michael then waited as Doctor Miller got a tray situated by the bed. He checked Walker's vitals once more then situated an IV into a vein in his right arm. Thankfully the cast on that arm had been removed three days early which made things a bit easier.

"We're going to shave your head in the operating room." Miller's voice began to get rather muffled and Walker knew one of several drugs needed for the surgery had just been put into his system. "Before you fall asleep, I just want to remind you of the risks. Anything, and I mean anything can happen during brain surgery."

"Well aware of it, doctor." Walker closed his one good eye then nodded. "Just take really good care of me."

**XXXX**

After he left his father's room, John went with his brother and uncle to the waiting room where all sat with a huff. He glanced over to Corbett still not use to seeing a man who looked so much like his father. In the last few months he has really grown to like Corbett who was like his father, but much more outgoing. His uncle gave him a slight wave then leaned back into his chair.

"So, Cordell will be in surgery for at least two hours. What should we do to pass the time?"

He stretched and shook his head. "Brought some playing cards and UNO."

Michael took a deck of playing cards from Corbett and flipped it open. "If you are up for it, I'll play you in a game of War." He said to John.

John cracked his knuckles. "You're on." He moved a small table between them then sat down in front of his brother. "Hopefully this is the last surgery dad has to go through for his head."

"I hear that. It's hard seeming him like this." Michael placed cards in front of John then smiled. "Maybe this will actually help him out." His voice got really low as he bit his lower lip. "I've read into brain trauma. A blood clot can do a lot to a brain." He leaned forward so nobody else can hear him. "It even can hamper with emotions and thinking." He shook his head. "We all saw the changes in him after he came back from the hospital after Marcellinio got hold of him. Dad was never really the same after that."

"You're right." John slapped a card down on the table. "Maybe that's the reason why his depression got worse." He slowly lifted his head to look at Corbett. "Thank you."

Corbett choked on the water in his mouth causing it to dribble down his chin. "For what? What did I do?"

John chuckled at his uncle. "For being there for our dad." He felt a pat on his shoulder and looked up to see Alex. "Alex, where are the kids?"

"At the HOPE center." She rubbed John's shoulder. "Going to pick them up after Cordell's surgery."

"When did you start calling him, Cordell, Alex?" Asked Corbett.

Alex shrugged. "Thought a change is in order." She gave her brother-in-law a wink. "He seems to really enjoy it now."

Corbett let out his very unique laugh, a mixture of Walker's with a slightly higher pitch. "That's good. Ain't nothing wrong with Cordell." His hand went to his stomach. "I'm going to grab a quick bite to eat. Anybody with me?"

Gage quickly stood up getting a chuckle from Sydney. "I'm in. Call us if anything happens and I mean anything."

Trivette came into the waiting room with a shake of his head. "You will not believe this." A huge grin spread across his face. "Harris got pulled over for a traffic violation."

John's mouth dropped open. "What?" He shook his head. "Wow, that was…simple."

"It can't be, John. Jimmy, are you sure it was Harris." Asked Michael.

"Positive." Jimmy sat down next to Corbett. "A routine traffic stop. An officer saw him not wearing his seat belt and pulled him over." He shook his head. "With him in custody, there is no longer a threat on Walker's life." A huge smile spread across his face. "And if this surgery helps out, things may finally be looking up."

Alex went and gave Jimmy a hug. "That is so good to hear. Walker will really like this bit of news. It might actually help his recovery knowing he doesn't have to worry."

**Two Hours Later**

The fog slowly lifted from Walker's mind and at first he didn't know what had happened to him. He could hear voices all around him which confused his tired mind even more. What the hell had happened to him? Very slowly he opened his good eye to only see fuzzy ceiling tiles above him. Then, a face with a blue mask appeared in his vision and judging by the crinkles at the corner of his eyes he was smiling.

"Walker, your surgery was a success." Doctor Miller took hold of Walker's hand and patted his good shoulder. "How you feeling right now?"

Walker swallowed hard to hopefully ease the scratchiness in his throat. "Not sure." He felt himself being moved and the ceiling tiles turned into a blur. "Glad it's over."

Miller patted his shoulder once again. "Well, it's a start. Going to keep you here for a week to monitor your progress. But hopefully, with the clot gone the seizures will calm down some." He took a look down the hall then back at Walker. "In just a few minutes you'll be able to see your wife and kids."

The bed moved down the hall and to a room where it was locked into place. Walker's mind once again started to blur and he knew eventually he would fall asleep. But he wanted to see his family first, to let them know he was all right.

"Cordell." It was Alex. "How you doing, cowboy?"

He gave her a weak smile. "Hopefully better." He could feel her hands run softly down his arm giving him much needed comfort. "Tell the kids I'll see them in awhile." His voice was slightly slurred. "Going to sleep now."

Alex watched her husband fall into a deep sleep and knew now everything will be all right. She gave him a kiss on the forehead then gently ran her hand across his shaved scalp. A white bandage was wrapped around his head, obscuring any view of the surgery sight. Hopefully this will be the last surgery Walker will ever have to endure for his head.

"He fell asleep, huh?" John made his way to the other side of the bed with Michael right next to him. "Was he coherent before he did so?"

"Yeah, he was." Alex turned around as Doctor Miller came into the post-op recovery room. "Did he have any seizures?"

"During surgery and after, none." Miller checked Walker's vitals than nodded his head. "I'm going to keep an eye on the seizure activity, but Alex I need you and everybody else to let me know how he is doing emotionally. That includes how he picks up on new information."

Alex nodded. "I will, thank you." She shook Miller's hand. "How will his recovery take?"

Miller gave her an innocent shrug. "Depends on Walker's attitude." He wrote something down on an electric clipboard and smiled. "Don't be afraid to holler at me if anything happens." His hand lifted up in a wave. "Hello, Corbett."

"Hey." Corbett went to Alex's side and gave her a friendly hug. "How's he doing?"

"Hopefully better." Alex shook her head as a smile crept across her face. "At least they shaved his whole head this time." She took a look at her brother-in-law's Mohawk. "It's starting to fill out now."

Corbett's hands ran through his brown hair and a smile, so similar to Walker's crossed his face. "Yeah, it's really starting to grow on me."

"Don't you think you're a little too old for a look like that?" Laughed out Michael.

"Not one bit! You are as young as you feel." The smile slowly ebbed away from his face. "Man, there is a lot of tubes." He leaned down to get a better look at where a spot of blood seeped through the bandage. "I think this will help him out though."

Michael smiled. "I think so." He patted his father's good shoulder. "You did good, dad. Just a little bit in the hospital and you'll be home with us."

**Eight Hours Later**

The next time Walker awoke, his mind wasn't as foggy and he was able to think much more clearly. He slowly opened his eye to see ceiling tile once again above him. He took a deep breath then turned his head to the right hoping Alex was next to him. However, when he didn't see her, he began to wonder if visiting hours were already over.

"I'm over here." Alex's voice came from his left side. "How you doing?"

He turned his head, a bit confused as to why Alex was over on his bad side. "Why are you…." He gradually shook his head to clear away the cobwebs. "How long have you been here, Alex?"

"For awhile." She patted Walker's arm then leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "How are you feeling, Cordell?"

"Tired, but good." He tried to lift his left hand, but it felt like a large weight was pushing against it. "How bad does it look?"

Alex chuckled as she gave him a smile. "Horrible. In any pain?"

"A little bit, some sharp pain and a headache." His mind quickly went to the reason why he had surgery in the first place. "Seizures?"

"Haven't had any grand mal seizures in eight hours." Her eyes glistened as her hand traced the scar on his left cheek. "You had some hand tremors though a few hours ago, but nothing for Miller to worry about."

A huge smile spread across Walker's face. "Hopefully it will stay that way." His stomach growled very loudly causing his cheeks to flush in embarrassment. "I haven't eaten since last night."

Alex shook her head. "Unfortunately you still have the nasogastric tube in place, but hopefully it will be removed soon." Walker gave her a very confused look not really sure what she was talking about. "It's a tube they put down your nose to help if you got sick. Apparently, if you did get sick it would put pressure on your brain." She gave him a comforting smile. You also have a tube near the surgery site to reduce fluid there." She leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Nurses come and go to see how you're doing neurologically."

"I'm a guinea pig..." He slowly shook his head. "Great."

"Hey, Cordell! Glad to see you're with the living." Corbett made his way to Alex's side with Angela next to him. "Little Ray is with Gage right now in the waiting room." He moved the bed tray over Walker's lap and placed two brown bags on top of it. "Unfortunately, no food for you. Not yet anyway."

Since he was already laying slightly propped up on the bed Walker was able to get a good look at his brother. "May not be able to stomach food anyway."

Corbett handed a small Styrofoam container to Angela. "Understandable. How you feeling, Cordell?"

"Tired and slightly foggy." He slowly shifted his weight till there was enough space for his daughter to sit next to him. "Come up, Angie."

Angela quickly did so and gave him a gentle hug. "Dad, does it hurt?" She looked up at him with her big, blue eyes. "It looks really bad."

"Don't worry, it looks worse than it is." He kissed Angela on the top of her head. "I should be fine from now on." He took in a deep breath to smell garlic chicken. "Man, that smells really good though."

"Yeah, but Uncle Corbett said it tastes like sh…."

"Shrimp. I said it tastes like shrimp." Corbett cut Angela a glare then nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

Walker tried really hard not to laugh. "Gotta watch your mouth, Corbett. Kids will always repeat what you say."

"Yeah, I just realized that." He gave Walker a smile. "I'm starving. Hope you don't mind us eating in front of you."


	23. Chapter 23

**Five Days Later**

In just a few days after having the blood clot removed there was a huge difference in Walker's attitude. With less pressure on his brain, Walker hasn't had a grand-mal seizure in days and has only suffered through mild tremors or "space out" episodes. With less seizures Walker's depression and anxiety has dwindled and Doctor Hayden is even talking about weaning him off the medication to see how well he does. The old Walker was slowly coming back which made Alex extremely happy.

She heard movement from the bed and turned that way to see Walker rolling on his back. He smiled at her then gradually pushed himself into a sitting position. Alex could tell this caused Walker much discomfort by the grimace on his face. She quickly got up from her chair, made her way to the bed then sat down next to her husband.

"How did you sleep, Cordell?"

"Really good." He gave her a big smile. "The best sleep I've had in awhile."

"That's good." Alex's eyes went to the line of staples above Walker's right ear. "How's the pain today?"

Walker gave her an innocent shrug. "Only a little discomfort in the head and strangely hardly any pain in my shoulder." He gently lifted his right hand and slowly rotated it. "Need to talk to Doctor Jenkins about it."

"Cordell, are you serious?" A huge smile spread across Alex's face. "If it has healed without surgery, then it's a miracle." She gently gave Walker a hug. "I'll call him later today and see what he says about it." The door opened and in walked Billings and Gage, their faces showing they weren't here for pleasantries. "What's the matter?"

Gage took a deep breath then shook his head. "Bad news. Clyde Brookdale will be released in three days. There just isn't enough evidence to keep him." He began to chew on his lower lip as he looked at Billings. "And Marcellinio posted bail."

All the happiness Alex had felt quickly went away with the sudden news. Brookdale the man that made Walker who he was today was now going to walk away with just a slap on the wrist. Will he try to kill Walker? And what about Marcellinio? Will he come after Walker as well?

"How could they be released at the same time?" Alex's hand tightened around Walker's. "What about Corbett? I know Marcellinio will be after him…."

Billings held up his hand. "Don't worry, we have two officers watching him, along with Angela and Ray right now at the ranch." He shook his head. "Just wish we could have put Brookdale away."

Walker shook his head. "I don't understand how Marcellinio was able to post bail. It was well over a million dollars."

"Something isn't right about how he managed to get the money." Gage grimaced. "His attorney suddenly disappeared." He took off his cowboy hat as he approached Walker's bedside. "Walker, I will not let anything happen to you or your family. You can count on that."

**Walker Ranch**

The house was relatively quiet which kind of troubled Jarod and he went around to check on his niece and nephew. First he went up the stairs towards the last room on the right. Here, he found Ray playing with some action figures on the floor in his bedroom. The young boy glanced up, smiled, then ran towards Jarod.

"Uncle Jarod!" He gave Corbett a big hug. "What are we going to do today?"

"Not sure yet. I need to talk to your sister." He knelt down to look the boy straight in the face. "Know where I can find her?"

Ray shrugged. "She doesn't like the officers."

Jarod ran that through his head trying to understand what Ray meant. Maybe she went someplace to hide? If true, with Marcellinio now out there once again the officers may not be able to keep an eye on her. He ruffled the boy's brown hair, gave him a hug and continued on his search for Angela.

As he went into the kitchen a DPS officer came in to get a cup of coffee. He gave Jarod a smile before he left once more to sit on the porch. Strange to have several officers in and around the house, but Jarod was thankful. With Marcellinio now free, he could once again gain power in the underground. Which put Jarod's life along with Cordell's family at risk.

He grabbed an apple from a basket on the counter then continued outside to see if Angela was on the porch. Sure enough he spotted her sitting on the steps looking out at the pastures. His work boots thudded against the wood planks signaling his arrival to the young girl.

"Hey Uncle Corbett." She reached down and plucked some grass from the lawn. "Have you seen dad today?"

"Not yet. But I got a call from your mom." He sat down next to her. "She told me that Cordell is doing really well." He took a look at the DPS officer standing not too far from them then back at Angela. "What do you think of all the police here?"

Angela shrugged. "I don't mind." She took a deep breath. "Uncle Corbett, will you still teach me some tumbling. We haven't done any in a long time."

"Well, let's do some now." Jarod patted Angela on the shoulder. "Have I shown you my back flip?"

"No!" Angela jumped up with a huge smile on her face. "You really can do one?"

Jarod let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, it's been awhile." He got to his feet, clapped his hands then went out into the lawn. "Let me practice first with just a back handspring."

It has been about a year since Jarod has done a back handspring and he started to wonder if he could even do one. He stretched his arms, rotated his neck then took a few deep breaths as he relaxed his mind. This technique always came natural to him, so he shouldn't have much of a problem pulling it off.

He crouched down with his arms above his head then, as he sprung up he swung his arms down then backwards. This helped arch his back and allowed him to plant his hands on the ground. Jarod flipped his feet around, landing them in the perfect position. He spun around to see Angela's eyes widen in surprise.

"Well, what do you think?"

Angela started to laugh. "You look like my father and it's funny seeing you do that. But, it's really cool." She quickly ran up to him while the DPS officer took a few steps closer. "Now, can you do the back flip?"

"Sure. Step back."

Jarod did the same as before, but this time instead of using his hands to flip him over he rotated his body in the air. As he landed he bounced up slightly then turned to see a sparkle in his niece's eyes. Since he was slightly warmed up, Jarod decided to go through a small routine. He took a deep breath, did three back hand springs then finished off with a back flip. It felt so good to complete the flips Jarod wanted to do more.

"Oh my gosh, Uncle Corbett!" Angela gave Jarod a big hug. "I didn't know you could do that!" She giggled. "Can you do anymore?"

He laughed at Angela's excitement. "Well, if I can find a gymnastics training center around here, I can show you." He squeezed Angela's shoulders then pulled back to look into her big blue eyes. "I should show you pictures of me when I was training for the Olympics."

The DPS officer stepped up to them with a shake of his head. "You may look like Walker, but you are definitely not like him."

"So I hear." He patted Angela's shoulder. "Let's get some frozen custard and see your father."

Angela eagerly nodded. "Definitely!" Her smile faded. "Just wish dad can eat ice cream."

"He will eventually. He just needs some of his teeth repaired." He gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll get him something else though." He turned to the DPS officer. "If you don't mind, can you take us?"

The officer smiled. "That's why I'm here."

**Later That Night**

It was getting close to the end of visiting hours and Walker knew his family will soon have to leave for the night. He hugged his son tighter to his body wishing he could pick him up again. Hopefully given enough physical therapy he'll be able to very soon. Walker's hand gently rubbed Ray's back as the boy fell into a deep sleep next to him.

The door opened and in walked a nurse with a tray in his hands. "Mr. Walker, it's time for your nightly medication."

Walker's head fell onto his pillow in annoyance. "Very well."

Alex went and very carefully picked up their son. "You have a good night, Cordell. Corbett will be coming in and staying with you tonight." She leaned down and gave him a kiss. "Don't push yourself. I'll see you in the morning."

"See ya, Alex." He reached up and gave her a hug. "Love you."

After his wife left Walker took hold of the first tiny medicine cup to see it was his seizure medication. Doctor Miller has been slowly cutting the dose down which brought on many tremors in Walker's hands. So far, Walker has been clear of grand mal seizures, but Miller warned him that could change any minute.

He popped the pills in his mouth then moved to the next cup to see the muscle relaxers. And after a brief glance he saw no depression medication. A smile actually crossed his face realizing Miller was switching him to a one-a-day pill. He took all the medications, swigged down a large drink of water then started to get comfortable for the night.

"I wouldn't get comfortable if I were you." Jarod came in with a small bag flung over his shoulder. "Have you gone to the restroom yet?"

Cordell blushed. "No." He flipped the blankets over and with Jarod's help shakily got to his feet. "I'm just glad I'm able to wear my own clothes and not the hospital gown."

Jarod threw his bag on a chair so Cordell can use his arm to lean on. "At least your not attached to an IV." He slowly inched forward and towards the bathroom. "Just take it easy. No real big hurry."

Once his brother was back on the bed, Jarod went to the cot and sat down. He rubbed his face, took off his work boots then opened his overnight bag. Since he slept without a shirt he dug around till he found his old workout shorts. He got back up and was about to go the bathroom when he heard a grunt from the bed.

He quickly turned expecting to see Cordell in a seizure, instead he saw his brother was just having difficulties laying down. Within seconds, Jarod went to Cordell's side and gently helped him to get comfortable for bed.

"Thank you." Cordell allowed Jarod to pull the blankets up and untie the eye patch from around his head. "Soon, I'll be able to do this on my own."

"Just don't push yourself." He stretched then rubbed his tummy. "I'm actually going to get a snack. See ya in the morning."

**Early Morning**

The night had come and gone with no problems which eased Alex's mind. But she knew better than to get her hopes up, she learned just yesterday that could only lead to more heartache. She just hopes that Marcellinio will leave their family alone. Unfortunately, Corbett had gotten in very deep with the criminal and knew secrets that many did not which put his life in danger.

She shifted her purse under her arm then showed the officer by Walker's room her ID badge. Because Marcellinio had men inside the police force only trusted officers with clean background checks were allowed anywhere near Walker's room. After she flashed her badge Alex went inside the room and smiled at her husband who was still sleeping.

As she approached Walker's bed, Jarod stirred on the cot then stretched under the blankets. "You know, it's really hard to sleep in here. How do you do it?"

"Unfortunately I had a lot of practice." She kissed Walker on the forehead then put her purse on the bedside table. "Hopefully he can go home tomorrow." She sat down with a heavy sigh. "Any seizures during the night?"

"Not that I could tell." Jarod sat up and quickly rubbed his bare arms. "Man, it's freezing in here." He dug around in his bag till he found a long sleeve t-shirt to put on. "Cordell, slept pretty good during the night. Must be the new sleep meds they have him on."

"Glad to see he's finally sleeping." She ran her hand down his arm causing him to stir slightly in his sleep. "Cordell, you waking up?"

His head rolled over to face her. "What time is it?"

"Eight o'clock in the morning." She took hold of his hand and watched his good eye open up. "Corbett told me you were put on a new sleep med."

"Really? Was wondering why it looked different." His voice was still rather groggy from sleep. "Is it a lower dose?"

Corbett made his way to Walker's other side. "Yeah, only two milligrams instead of three…." His voice faded off as Walker went into full body convulsions. "Thought he was done with this." He reached over and pushed the nurse help button.

"Doctor Miller warned us the symptoms might actually get worse before they get better." The nurse came in with Doctor Miller. "Doctor Miller, he had a grand mal seizure."

"I see." Doctor Miller went up to Walker's bed, checked his vitals then gently nudged Walker in the shoulder. "Walker, I need for you to stay with me." Walker let out a low moan as he rolled his head around. "He was on a very high dosage of Phenobarbital. I've been lowering his dosage down for the last three days. Hopefully we can find a good middle ground so he can live a relatively normal life."

Alex gently rubbed Walker's hand as she watched her husband open his good eye. "You had a grand mal seizure." Her voice was soft and reassuring. "Don't worry, it's just a step to get you better."

Once Walker was back in a deep sleep, Miller turned to Alex and Corbett. "Other than the seizures, how has he been emotionally?"

"Doing really good. He's started to become the old Walker again." Alex smiled at the doctor. "His anxiety levels have gone down which has helped his depression." She took a deep breath as her smile faded. "But, I still sense he has problems controlling his emotions. I'm guessing that's because of the brain damage, right?"

Miller slowly nodded his head. "Unfortunately, yes." He gave them both a reassuring smile. "But even I have seen an improvement in his attitude and so has Terry Mist. She's told me he's not getting as frustrated with reading and cognitive therapy. Just stay with him, it will get better."


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanksgiving Day**

Living like he was currently frustrated Marcellinio to no end and he could feel the anger rising inside of him. He threw a handful of sunflower seeds into his mouth and instantly began to work on cracking the shells. More than anything he wanted a smoke, but that would just make his situation much worse. Smoking always made him crankier, especially when he ran out of the little sticks.

He rubbed his face then peered out his motel window to see an undercover police car parked across the street. Thanks to his men in the DPS he knew exactly where to look for the detectives that were following him. His terms of bail said he couldn't leave Dallas which made communicating to his men in Fort Worth and Arlington rather difficult to do.

His cell phone rang and he quickly picked it up to see it was Clyde Brookdale. "Yes, what do you want? You know it's dangerous calling me…."

"I took the needed precautions." Brookdale sighed heavily. "Do you want me to finish my job?"

"I'm not sure. Remember, you failed me last time." Marcellinio sat down on a cheap dining chair. "What makes you think I will trust you this time?"

"Because I have something to prove and nothing to loose."

Marcellinio spit the shells into a Styrofoam cup then ran his hands through his short hair. "Let's wait this out. You and I just got out of prison." He stood back up and went to the desk with two folders on top of it. "Let's give the Walker family a false sense of security. And when their barrier is down, we strike."

"But that could be several days even months."

"Patience." Marcellinio flipped open one of the folders. "Walker will not be going anywhere and neither will Williamson."

Brookdale huffed. "How do you know that?"

"I just know. Don't call me, I'll call you."

Marcellinio flipped his phone closed then stared at the picture before him. It was one of Walker before Brookdale attacked him then he took a look at the other folder to see Williamson staring back at him. Who would have thought those two were twins? He always knew Williamson looked like Walker, but his long lost sibling? That never crossed Marcellinio's mind and if it did, he would have never trusted Williamson like he did.

He spat out the rest of the shells, picked up a classic novel and sat down on the bed. There was plenty of time to wait, he just had to remain calm. Hopefully he will be able to put his plan into action. He had plenty of time in prison to think things through and he soon realized what needed to be done to get to Walker.

"I'll get you back, Walker and Williamson." He nodded his head. "Just not yet."

**Walker Ranch**

It had gotten much colder, but Walker didn't mind one bit especially since he was now back at home with his family. He took a deep breath then sipped at his water thankful the cast was taken off of his left hand. Even though he now wore thick braces on both wrists it was much better than the thick, plaster casts. He can finally grip items, like a glass with only one hand. Unfortunately next month that will all change. He was currently scheduled next month to have another surgery on his left hand to repair some fractures that didn't heal correctly.

Heavy boots echoed on the porch telling Walker Jarod had come outside. This will be the first Thanksgiving he will spend with a brother and it hasn't quite hit him yet. Wonder what Jarod was feeling right now? Did the holiday mean a lot to him even though he spent his life living with people who he called family?

Jarod sat down next to Walker and took a deep breath. "Christopher and Helen are in town." He shook his head. "I told them to not come down, but they insisted." He turned his head to look at Walker. "They really want to meet you."

"Even how I am right now?" Walker's left hand went to rub the fuzz on his scalp. "I look terrible."

"Don't worry, they are very caring people." He sighed heavily and stood back up. "Is it okay for me to call them? They won't come till later tonight."

Walker slowly nodded. "Might as well." He stood and shook his head. "Just don't call them mom or dad in front of me." He barely made it to the front door when Jarod grabbed hold of his right arm. "Please, not right now. Let's just enjoy the day while we can."

"Cordell, don't be mad."

"I'm not. Just drop it, okay?" Walker went back into the house to smell turkey and other seasonings wafting from the kitchen. He gradually made his way through the house till he found himself next to Alex in the kitchen. "The turkey smells really good, Alex."

Alex turned and gave Walker a kiss on the cheek. "Glad to have you home with us for Thanksgiving." She put the lid on the corn then faced him. "John will be coming in later. Unfortunately he had to pick up a shift today." She let out a heavy sigh. "Corbett told me that his adoptive parents are coming to visit. How do you feel about that?"

Walker quickly shook his head as anger swelled inside his heart. "Let's just drop it, okay?" His voice came out a bit sharper than he attended it to. "I just don't want to talk about it right now."

He went back into the living room, sat down on the couch then picked up a ball of clay. His new physical therapist, Kingston has told him to squeeze clay to strengthen his fingers. Unfortunately, just squeezing mud got boring rather quickly so Walker started to play with it. He would make small figures then just continue to repeat the process by using the same ball of clay.

"Hey dad." Michael sat down next to Walker with a deep sigh. "How are the hands?"

Walker shrugged. "Doing okay, fingers on my left hand are a bit stiff."

Michael lifted up one of the figures made by Walker just last night. "Did you make this?"

"Yeah, forgot about it. You can just throw it away."

"Why? This is actually kind of cute." Michael lifted up the small cartoon like wolf head to get a better look at it. "You made this just by using your hands?"

Walker nodded. "Yeah, I got bored pretty quickly with just squeezing the clay."

"I didn't know you can make models." Michael put the wolf back down on the table. "Have you made anything else?"

"Yeah, all the time since I've started to do this ridiculous therapy." He put down the horse head he had just made and was about to smash it when Michael stopped him. "What?"

Michael shook his head. "Keep it. I want to show Alex."

Walker quickly smashed the clay horse head and put it back into the large ball of clay. "I don't want to show her. It's just therapy after all."

"Fine, fine." Michael patted Walker's good shoulder. "How about we watch some football? Cowboys are fighting the Redskins today. Should be a good game."

**Later That Day**

After dinner Walker went into the bathroom with Alex right behind him to put on a large piece of gauze over the surgery site. With the Williamsons coming over, Walker wanted to make sure he looked the best he could. He sat down on the small bench and allowed his wife to clean the area around the staples before she gently placed the gauze on the site.

"It's healing up real nicely, Cordell." She patted Walker's good shoulder. "How did you like dinner?"

"It was pretty good." Walker let out a heavy sigh. "I'm just glad to have my retainer back. I can now chew again." He let out a soft chuckle. "But next year, we need to have two turkeys. Gage and Corbett alone almost ate the whole bird by themselves."

Alex laughed. "Let's just hope Ray doesn't have that appetite." She took a look at her watch then started to gently massage Walker's aching shoulder. "The Williamsons will be here any minute. Are you ready for this?"

Walker bit his lower lip then nodded his head. "Yeah, I think so." He started to play with the Velcro strap on his left wrist support. "Just unsure…Corbett has warned me he calls them mom and dad."

"Just remember, for all of his life Corbett has known the Williamsons as his family." Alex gave him a kiss on the forehead and a knock at the front door made her glance towards the living room. "Well, they're here."

Walker took several deep breaths then made his way into the living room to see a small, pudgy man with dark gray hair giving Jarod a big hug. The man pulled back to turn and face Walker with a smile that seemed to reach from ear to ear.

"So, you're Cordell." He shook Walker's hand. "Nice to finally meet you."

"It's Walker and nice to meet you too." He turned to a woman with long, black and white hair. "Nice to meet you two."

"Pleasure is ours. I'm Christopher and this is Helen." Walker shook the latter's hand. "Jarod has told us a lot about you." He gave Jarod a sheepish smile. "I mean, Corbett."

Helen came up to Walker with a huge smile on her face. "You look so much like Elizabeth." Her eyes started to mist up and she quickly cleared her throat. "Well, I think it's time to embarrass Corbett." She lifted a large canvas bag and patted its side. "I brought many pictures."

"Awe…mom." Jarod's cheeks flushed a deep red. "Dad, why didn't you stop her?"

"You know your mother; once she has her mind set you can't stop her."

Walker began to grind his teeth as he fought hard to control his jealousy. Before the attack he would never let emotions like this one control him, he just never would have allowed it. But for some unknown reason, only explained by having a head injury his anger would flare up. He knew if he didn't leave soon he will say something he will regret.

"Hey Cordell, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Corbett, I gotta go." Walker slowly tried to make his way into the kitchen, but was stopped by his brother. "Please, just let me get away."

"No, let's go to the back porch."

Walker knew he was too weak to fight his brother so he allowed Jarod to pull him to the back door. Once outside the cool November air whipped around them causing both to shiver. Jarod closed the door then went straight to Walker.

Jarod rested both his hands on Walker's shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "Don't let it control you. Take deep breaths and think things through."

"How am I suppose to feel?" Walker shrugged his brother's hands away. "Please, just let me have some time by myself…."

"No, not this time." Jarod's eyes turned real soft. "Now, take deep breaths." Walker did as he was told, but his anger was still seething. "That's it, Cord." He shook his head. "Don't ever be jealous of me, Cord. I should be jealous of you. You had time with mom and dad, I never did. Sure, I think of Christopher and Helen as my parents, but that's because they raised me since I was just a little kid."

Walker's breathing started to relax, but his teeth was still clinched tightly. "Please, just don't call them mom and dad in front of me…."

"Don't worry, I already told them that I might start calling them by their real names." Jarod smiled. "I know you will enjoy the Williamsons once you get to know them. Helen makes an incredible pecan pie." He patted Walker's good shoulder. "Come on, let's get back inside, I'm freezing."

"No." Walker shook his head. "Please, don't do this…."

"Do what, love you like a brother?" Frustration briefly flashed in Jarod's green eyes. "Do not let the anger control you. Get hold of it…."

"That's easy for you to say!" Walker's voice cracked as several emotions came to him at once. "You don't know what it's like to be this way!"

Jarod took a deep breath then rubbed his hands down his face. "I won't let you push me away, Cord. Do what you want, I'll still be right here."

Walker's anger began to subside and as it did his mind became much clearer. "Corbett, I'm sorry." He slumped down on the porch swing then buried his head in his hands. "I just need some time to think." Jarod sat next to him without saying a word. "So, is this what brothers are for?" Walker's voice was so low he didn't know if Jarod even heard him

"I think so, yeah." Jarod let out a heavy sigh. "Take your time, Cord. I know it's difficult for you, but just try to relax."

Walker's heart swelled with an unfamiliar feeling and he knew it had something to do with bonding with his brother. For the first time in months he felt at peace with somebody other than Alex. Here sat a man who actually cared and loved Walker as a brother should.

"Hey, Corbett. In the attic there should be some boxes labeled. 'pictures'." Walker gave his brother a smile. "Might as well embarrass myself too."


	25. Chapter 25

It was strange seeing a man who looked so similar to Jarod, but could pass as any man on the street. Helen took a look at Walker wondering if he was truly Jarod's identical twin. He didn't look anything like her adoptive son, she just couldn't see the resemblance except for the eyes and mouth. Maybe it was because of the way the two brothers grew up. Jarod seemed much stockier than Walker, his facial features more square. Wonder why that was?

Jarod and Walker both let out a chuckle which sent chills down Helen's spine. The men's laugh was near identical and so was their smiles. All the doubts about them being brothers quickly disappeared as Helen saw more and more similarities in them. For one, their hand gestures were exactly the same, even though Walker was right handed and Jarod was left. Then, there was the way their eyes crinkled in the corners every time they smiled. Wonder what Walker looked like before he had the eye patch?

"So, Walker what did you do as a teenager?" Helen asked.

Walker shrugged. "Not much, unfortunately. Living on the reservation there really wasn't much to do. I just learned how to hunt and ride a horse."

Christopher let out a loud chuckle. "Wish Jarod could have been so pleased with simple things. Sadly, he was out there for an adventure." He shook his head. "I forgot how much money I put down to save his ass from jail."

Jarod sheepishly rubbed the nape of his neck. "Sorry about that." A big smile crossed his face as he pointed to a picture in one of the albums. "There's me with the beard. Wow, it's like looking at you, Cord."

Helen took the picture from her son and her mouth dropped in shock. "I forgot about the beard phase. My gosh, you do look like twins." She took the picture out of the album and handed it to Alex, Walker's wife. "It's like they're the same man."

A big smile spread across Alex's face. "Amazing. Their smile is near identical."

She showed the picture to Walker who let out a chuckle. "No wonder people called you my clone." He flipped through his own album till a smile crossed his face. "Hey Alex, remember this picture?"

"Of course I do. That was when we were still friends." Alex showed the picture to Helen. "We started to officially date three years after that picture was taken."

In the picture Helen could see a wide smile on Walker's face even though he seemed to have a serious injury to the head. "What happened to you, Walker?"

Walker took a look at the photo then smiled. "Oh, that. A criminal swung a crowbar at me and thankfully I flinched back in time to not get the full blow. It looked worse than what it really was." He sighed heavily as he started to bite his lower lip. "Anyway, any more pictures of you ,Corbett?"

Helen could see Jarod's eyes turn soft and she knew by that look alone he truly loved Walker as his brother. Jarod showed concern for him even though they just met a few months back. Maybe this was something her son needed to settle down.

Ever since Jarod was five he knew without her and Christopher telling him that he didn't belong in the family. He was always rowdy, wanting attention either by destroying property or acting out in school. There was a time Helen actually regretted adopting the boy, but with Christopher's help they found ways for Jarod to burn off that extra energy. They first started off with music which Jarod took to very quickly, but eventually got bored of it. Then, it was martial arts and gymnastics, two sports that Jarod loved and flourished in.

Christopher flipped through the album till he grimaced at one picture in particular. "Have no idea why we kept this picture, but there's Jarod's first mug shot. He was only twelve years old, caught vandalizing an abandoned house near where we use to live." He shook his head. "He would be arrested several times after that."

Jarod rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, don't know how you guys dealt with it as much as you did." He took a glance at Walker then patted the man's hand. "It's about that time."

"You would remember." Walker grimaced as he rubbed his left hand down his face. "Right, sorry about this Christopher and Helen, but I need to take care of something real quick."

Helen watched the two brothers leave the table, curious as to what Walker needed to do. She knew by talking to Jarod that Walker had suffered a serious brain injury which left him reading roughly at a third grade level. Jarod also told her Walker had seizures and mood swings quite regularly, making life difficult for him and Alex. Maybe they left so Walker can take his medication? Being a nurses aid she knew the importance of keeping on a daily schedule when it came to certain medications.

Christopher patted her hand as he slowly got up from the chair. "We should leave, Helen. If it's all right with the Walkers we can visit another time."

"I guess it is getting kind of late." Helen stood and turned to Alex. "It was nice meeting your family, Alex." She gave the woman a gentle hug. "I hope we continue talking."

Alex nodded. "I'll definitely keep in touch." She glanced back as Walker and Jarod made their way back into the dining room. "Come down and visit again."

"We will." Christopher gave her a hug then went to Walker. "Nice to meet you." He shook the man's right hand. "Tell the kids good-bye for us."

"Will do." Walker smiled and gave Helen a polite hug. "Call us."

**Two Months Later**

The afternoon had been rather uneventful for Walker and he found himself wandering the house out of boredom. His kids were back in school, Alex was at work and Corbett had gotten himself an apartment in Irving which left him all alone during the days. Now, more than ever Walker wished he could still work or drive, but a month ago his license was suspended till further notice. It didn't upset him, Walker knew he had broken the law numerous times by driving all those years after the attack. So he excepted the punishment with a humble nod and went on with his life as best he could even if that meant hours of boredom.

After thirty minutes of walking around Walker decided to head outside to get some fresh air. Once on the porch he sat down on the swing and took in the smells of late winter. Next to him on the side table was a large plastic container full of clay which he used daily to strengthen his broken hands. His left especially was weak and needed a lot of physical therapy to get any mobility back in it. He just had the cast taken off from the last surgery only two days ago and it still made him cringe in pain if he moved it the wrong way.

Walker opened the box up, grabbed a large ball of clay then started to shape it into an eagle. For some reason, unknown to him sculpting has become very easy to do as of late. He found himself making horses, wolves and eagles as though he has done it all his life. Wonder where this hidden talent came from? And would anybody care about his sculptures?

He took another piece of clay and started to make wings for the eagle he was creating. Even though he could barely move the fingers on his left hand he was still able to put in a lot of minute details in the figure. Within twenty minutes he had the basic form down and started to trim off the excess clay.

Time seemed to have slowed down for Walker as he poured all his attention into making the small eagle. He didn't know why, but he felt as though he needed to finish this task. He stuck his tongue out as he made the beak and claws, hoping he could make them near perfect. Once through with that he looked around for something to carve feathers with. Eventually he found a small stick and with this item he spent what could be several minutes carving every feather onto the eagle figure. Finally, after possibly an hour maybe two Walker finished the eagle and gently placed it on the side table. He rotated his neck then stood up to stretch his sore muscles. He didn't know if anybody would be interested in it, but he'll show Jarod when he shows up for his daily visit.

Once back inside the house, Walker got a glass of water and was about to sit down on the couch when a knock came at the door. He glanced at his watch and realized he had forgotten the appointment he had with Terry Mist.

"Coming!" Walker went to the front door and pulled it open. "Hey Terry. Sorry, I forgot about our appointment today." He waved her into the house. "How was your day?"

"I'm good." She pointed to Walker's hands with a rather curious look on her face. "What's all over your fingers?"

"Clay." Walker made his way into the kitchen, put his glass down then gently started to take off the brace on his left hand. "I was doing physical therapy for my hands."

Terry went to Walker and started to help him with the brace. "I'm glad you're following through with that, but how about reading and writing exercises?"

Walker nodded. "Done that as well." He gently washed his hands and allowed for Terry to put the brace back on. "What are we going to do today?"

"The usual. But I'm going to have you start working on a few 3-D puzzles." She put her bag on top the table and pulled out three boxes. "I'll time you each week and see if there is any improvement."

Walker rolled his eyes at her. "I really see no point in this therapy. It's the same results over and over again…."

Terry sighed heavily. "I've talked to Doctor Hayden about your mood swings…."

"No, I don't want medication for my attitude. I'm fine." Walker slumped down into one of the chairs and picked up one of the boxes. "Let's get this over with."

"Very well." Terry opened up the first box and took out several colored squares. "The pattern is right on the lid of the box. Try to follow it."

Walker took a deep breath and began work on putting the blocks together. He hated drills like this, they were so tedious and left him really frustrated at his disability. He saw no real point in putting puzzles like this together, it seemed rather pointless to him. His anger started to show, so he quickly put the pieces down to try and calm himself.

Terry shook her head while she wrote down a few notes. "Listen, Walker we need to work on this." She leaned across the table to get a better look at him. "I know you don't want to get medicated for this, but it will help you out."

"No, I'm already on an antidepressant…."

"And we will either up that dosage or try a new medication to help you deal…."

"I don't need help!" Walker's heart began to race as he stared the woman down. "I'm finished with this and all your other therapy sessions! No more!" He quickly got to his feet, shook his head and threw the blocks back into the box. "This game is for children, not grown adults…."

"Walker, this isn't you talking." Terry swiftly went around the table and put her hand on Walker's which irritated him to the point he nearly threw the box down. "Just take deep breaths and try to relax."

Walker shook his head. "Leave, Terry. I don't want to do this anymore." His voice showed his frustration and anger. "I've had it with this therapy." He threw the box then went into the living room to vent.

Just outside the Walker's residence Jarod pulled up for his daily visit and saw Terry's car parked out front. Which meant his brother will be mad as hell and in one of his moods. He shook his head, grabbed the shopping bag from the front seat then proceeded to head towards the front door. One glance through the living room window he could see Cordell sitting on the couch with his head buried in his hands. Why did he get these mood swings? Was there anything to stop the changes from happening so frequently?

The front door opened and out walked a very frazzled looking Terry. She took one look at him, dropped her bags on the porch then fell onto the porch swing.

"Your brother is possibly the most stubborn individual I've had to work with." She shook her head. "He needs to be medicated for the mood swings or something bad will eventually happen."

"Are you talking about another medication to put him on?"

Terry shook her head. "I think we need to change his diagnosis to bi-polar. We do that then we can get him on medication that will help with the constant mood swings and depression."

Jarod grimaced at what Terry just told him. "Bi-polar? What could have brought that on?"

"The blood clot most likely had something to do with it. That part of his brain has been altered just slightly and unfortunately it has led to changes in mood." She took a deep breath then shook her head once again. "Maybe you can talk to him."

"Right, I'll try to see what I can do." Jarod took a deep breath then opened the front door. "Cord, it's Corbett!"

Cordell shook his head. "I take it Terry talked to you."

Jarod sat down next to his brother and nodded. "She's real worried about you and so am I."

"There's nothing to be worried about, I'm perfectly fine." Cordell took a deep breath then stood up. "Why can't I just get some time alone?!"

"Snap out of it!" Jarod grabbed hold of Cordell's arms and gently shook him. "This is not you! Don't make me slap you!"

His brother's arms sagged as he dropped his head. "I'm sorry. Don't know why I can't control it." He took a deep breath then turned to the front door. "Okay, get Terry back inside, I'll do therapy."

Jarod patted Cordell's shoulder. "That's it. I think you'll do fine. I'll help you out."

Once Terry was back inside she went to the dining room table and took out a box from her bag. Cordell huffed as he sat down on a chair, his jaw flexing as he grinded his teeth. His brother's right hand ran down his face in frustration as the other played with the table mat.

Terry opened the box and took out several colored squares. "Take your time and work out the pattern."

As Cordell grumbled his way through the drills, Jarod decided to put the groceries up. It was his turn to cook dinner for the family tonight and he decided to make his famous chicken quesadillas. He put the chicken, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes in the refrigerator then set up the tortillas by the stove. After he finished he turned back to the dining room to see Cordell was still having problems with the puzzle. He was about to go help his brother when something on the porch got his attention.

"What the hell?" He quickly made his way outside to see a small clay eagle sitting on the side table. As he got nearer he could see it was very detailed for its size. "Wow, amazing." He picked it up to get a better look at the figure. "Did Cord make this?" He walked back into the house and went towards the dining room. "Hey Cord, where did this come from?"

Cordell lifted his head up and a sheepish smile spread across his face. "I made it."

Jarod shook his head in disbelieve. "When did you learn how to do this?"

"Not sure, it just came to me." Cordell shrugged his shoulders and glanced at Terry. "Never made anything in my life, not sure why I started now."

Terry took the eagle from Jarod and studied it thoroughly. "Walker, I've heard of this happing to some head trauma patients. Your brain is rerouting itself to keep functioning." A huge smile spread across her face. "This is very good, Walker." She took out another box from her bag and put it front of Walker. "This is modeling clay. I brought it since Kingston told me you're doing some hand therapy." She took out a small size block of blue clay from the box and gave it to Walker. "Make me something just by using that."

Cordell rolled his eyes as usual and took the clay into his right hand. Jarod watched on in amazement as his brother easily sculpted it into a wolf's head adding in detail he didn't know could be done by using cheap child's clay. Terry quickly took down notes, shaking her head as she did so. Though Cordell's mind seemed to be locked when it came to words and cognitive skills, a new creative part was rising.

"There, it's a wolf." Cordell lazily stretched, slightly grimacing as he did so. "Should I keep doing this, Terry?"

"Definitely." She patted Walker on the shoulder. "Well, I'll get going. Walker, keep at this. I think this is the outlet that we've been looking for to help with your depression."


	26. Chapter 26

**One Week Later**

The doctor's office was really quiet and for some reason this really got on Jarod's nerves. He began to fidget in his chair as he reread the policy form taped to the door. Cordell began to swing his legs as he rotated his thumbs around each other. How much longer will Hayden make them wait?

Cordell huffed loudly then leaned against the wall. "I see no point in this." He shook his head. "I really don't need to be here right now."

"True, but maybe Hayden can shine some light into your anger." The door opened causing both brothers to turn their heads towards it. "Doctor Hayden, its about time."

Hayden closed the door behind him and shook his head. "Sorry about that. How is everything, Walker?"

"Frustrating." Cordell let out a heavy sigh as he handed Hayden a notebook. "Lets just cut to the chase, I don't want to be medicated. I'm tired of everybody telling me what I should do. For once can I deal with this brain trauma on my own terms?"

Hayden shook his head. "I'm going to ask you a very personal question, Walker. How was your mental state after your parents were killed?"

The question took Jarod aback and he swiftly turned to see his brother's reaction. Anger flashed in Cordell's eye as his good right hand tightened into a fist. Why would Hayden bring up a dark moment in Cordell's life? What was he getting at?

"That was rather blunt. What are you getting at, doc? You know Cordell doesn't like to…."

Hayden raised his hand in the air to politely stop Jarod from talking. "Walker wanted a blunt answer and I'm about to give him one." Hayden sat down, placed a thick folder on the counter next to him then shook his head. "Walker, what you are probably experiencing now is emotions you somehow had locked away for many years."

A quizzical look flashed over Cordell's face. "What are you getting at, doc?"

"You might have had bi-polar disorder for quiet some time, but you were able to control it." Hayden let out a heavy sigh. "But because of the recent trauma to your brain you may not be able to control it like you use to." He stood up and took out a pen flashlight. "How is your depth perception and coordination?"

"Same as usual." Walker followed the light with his good eye not seeing why he was doing so. "Doctor Hayden, I'm fine. I'm just a little frustrated, that's all."

Hayden nodded. "Understandable." He clicked the light off and nodded his head. "Your recent MRI and EEG tests came out negative. I'm thinking it's just something you've had all along, but were able to control." He sat back down to write a few things in Walker's folder. "I heard you were starting to sculpt. How is that working for you?"

Walker gave his doctor a shrug. "Okay, I guess."

"Well, I want you to keep doing it. This might be an outlet for you and could help with your depression." He sighed heavily then smiled. "I'm not going to medicate you for the bi-polar. In fact, unless something drastic happens I hope to see you again in three months." He put the pen back in his breast pocket then stood up. "It seems the seizures are finally calming down. Keep doing what you are doing and I will get with Terry to set up monthly checkups."

"Thanks so much, doc." Walker shook Hayden's hand grateful for the little bit of freedom he was now given. "See you in three months."

Once outside, Walker folded his prescriptions in his breast pocket then turned to Jarod to see his brother fiddling around with a pair of keys. He chuckled knowing Jarod now carried much more keys than he use to all thanks to owning his own car and apartment. While his brother was finding the right vehicle key, Walker went over to the car thankful he no longer needed the handicap flyer on the mirror.

"Hey Corbett, I'm hungry." Walker heard Jarod grumble in response and had to laugh at how similar they both were in attitudes. Finally after a few minutes Jarod ran to the car, shaking his head as he did so. "Told you to get colored rings on them."

"Right, need to do that." He unlocked the doors and got in. "Let's drop the prescriptions off first. I think there's a Mexican restaurant near the pharmacy that we can get a bite to eat at." He started the car then waved at Walker. "Let me make sure the doc didn't slip in something that isn't a normal drug for ya."

Walker took the paper out of his pocket wishing he could read the writing. "Thanks."

"No problem." Jarod quickly rifled through the prescriptions then nodded his head. "All clear."

"You know, there was a time that I absolutely hated taking anything stronger than Tylenol." Walker shook his head. "Seems strange to me to be so dependent on medication."

Jarod shrugged. "Nothing to be embarrassed about. You're finally getting your life back together and I'll let Alex know to lighten up on ya." He sighed heavily as he pulled onto the main road. "Sorry about the way I've been treating you. I should have just let you cope with what was happening on your own terms."

"It's okay, really. You care about me, I'm just not use to it." Walker nodded. "But keep harassing me on the sculpting. I think it could really help me."

XXXX

In a car parked not too far away from the doctor's office, Marcellinio sat munching on sunflower seeds and reading a newspaper. He picked up a paper cup, spit out the shells then glanced up to see the brothers getting into a car. Marcellinio allowed them to leave the parking lot before he turned on the ignition to his own vehicle.

He will follow them till they reached their next destination then make his move. But first he needed to get some help, people that he could trust full heartedly to get the job down. If he pulled this off, he will go down in history as the man who killed Walker. Now, he just needed to get his men rallied at the right location.

For the next fifteen minutes he followed the silver vehicle through the city while talking on the phone with Jermain Thompson. Jermain worked for the Dallas PD and had connections inside the DPS, including the Rangers. Oh, if Walker only knew it was one of his precious little Rangers that have been leaking information out to him and his men.

"Okay, so I've talked to my contact. Walker gets his drugs at a mom and pop shop in Fort Worth. You should be nearing it now." The sound of a car door opening and shutting could be heard. "You do know that Plan C could get all of us killed, right?"

Marcellinio nodded his head. "Yes, but do you really want to be known as a dirty cop in prison?" Long silence. "Thought so. Remember if you have the shot, kill either of them."

XXXX

Once parked in front of the strip mall, Jarod got out and headed towards the pharmacy. Cordell had decided to wait out in the car so Jarod will have to make sure all the bottles matched the right prescriptions. This pharmacy was usually pretty good with working with them on getting the drugs separated into specific colored bottles. Most others they had been to were pretty stingy about it. Saying, they couldn't because the law prohibited them from doing so. Thankfully Cordell found this pharmacy through Hayden and so far they work really well with his special prescription needs.

As he opened the door a strange feeling hit his stomach making him look around. He spotted a police cruiser at a red light and another one behind it. Why did he get a bad vibe from those cars?

The car door opened and out came Cordell, a look of worry on his face. "You feel it?"

Jarod nodded his head. "I don't like this, Cord." He quickly ushered his brother through the pharmacy door then followed him inside all the while keeping an eye on the cruisers. "Something isn't right with those squad cars." He watched as both cars turned into the strip mall's large parking lot. "Maybe it's nothing…."

"Usually when I get this feeling, it's never good." Cordell glanced out the window, his right hand instinctively going to his hip. "Wish I could carry a sidearm."

The police parked on either side of Jarod's car, got out then made their way to the pharmacy. Quickly Jarod spun around, grabbed Cordell's arm and pulled him to the prescription counter. A loud jingle told Jarod the officers were now inside which caused his heart to race even faster.

"Hey, Walker bros!" A skinny black man went up to Cordell and clapped him on his bad shoulder. "What brings you two here today?"

Jarod could see Cordell's face contort in pain as the man began to squeeze his shoulder. These were the crooked cops that everybody has been looking for and him without a gun. He glanced at the pharmacist to see his hand discreetly go under the counter for a silent alarm. Wonder why? Did he see something that Jarod did not?

"Please don't shoot, Corbett." Cordell said in a weak voice. "He's not a part of this."

Curious, Jarod turned around and came face to face with a black pistol. "Whoa! Guys, seriously you don't have to do this!"

The officer's finger squeezed the trigger causing Jarod to duck his head and close his eyes. But instead of hearing gunfire all he heard was a metallic clank. Ever so slowly Jarod opened his eyes to see the officer fighting with his service pistol which had apparently jammed on him. The other officer, a small white male took out his own gun and aimed it at Cordell's shaved scalp.

"Don't move! Thompson we need to kill them now or it will turn into a hostage situation!" His voice showed Jarod he wasn't in the right frame of mind to be holding a weapon of any kind and knew he will definitely use the pistol to kill Cordell. "Marcellinio trusted us! We need to show him we can kill one of our own!"

"Did you not see me just try that!" Thompson aimed the gun at Jarod and wildly fired a shot at him.

Stabbing pain shot up Jarod's left leg as he collapsed to the ground. "Son of a…." He gritted his teeth as he writhed around on the floor. "You bastard!"

"Corbett!"

Cordell attempted to help him but was thrown to the ground by the officer guarding him. He let out a grunt of pain and Jarod watched on in horror as the officer fired a shot down at his brother.

"No! Cordell!" Jarod saw his brother move, a sign he was still alive. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, the bullet just grazed my side." Cordell cringed and shook his head. "How are you?"

"Alive." Sirens screamed outside signaling the arrival of more officers. "Looks like you two have bigger problems now."

XXXX

Outside the pharmacy Gage got out of the car and made his way over to Billings who was standing near an unmarked squad car. His hands were shoved into his pants pockets which whipped around in the cool air. He took a deep breath then turned to Gage, his eyes showing deep concern.

"Shots fired." He pointed to the two squad cars parked out front. "Cars belong to Sergeant Jermain Thompson and Officer Allen May." He shook his head. "They have Corbett and Walker as hostages right now."

"Not again." Gage let out several curses as he started to pace. "Walker and Corbett don't need this right now." He rubbed his face. "Are the snipers in position?"

Billings nodded. "They are, but the blinds are pulled down. They are unable to see inside."

"Okay, keep me updated." Gage bit his lower lip as he rested his hands on his hips. "Billings, go check around at all the cars in a two block radius. I have a feeling if this is Marcellinio's doing, then he'll be around to watch it."

**An Hour Later**

The pain in his side made it hard for Walker to move, but he knew by experience that the bullet didn't penetrate his body. However, it did tear a large chunk from his flesh which stung like a deep burn each time he attempted to get a look at his brother. His hand went to his side, felt the sticky blood then loudly winced as a wave of pain shot through his chest.

In front of him sat Allen May, a young officer new to the force who was right now chewing on his thumbnail. Walker couldn't believe that two officers wanted him dead. What did he do to make them so mad at him?

May glanced down at Walker then up at Thompson. "What should we do?"

"The snipers should be in place." He rested his arms on his knees. "We can't leave here alive or Marcellinio will make sure our deaths are agonizingly slow." He got up to check on the pharmacist and the one technician that was on duty. "You two are free to go, all we need are those two."

The pharmacist quickly nodded his head. "Thank you so much." As he walked by Walker he stopped and knelt down. "How are you on your medication?"

"If I get out of here on time, I wouldn't have to worry about it."

Thompson took hold of the man's hand and pulled him towards the door. "If he needs anything, we are in a pharmacy! Now move before I change my mind!"

Once the two civilians were safe, May grabbed hold of Walker's right arm and violently yanked him forward. Walker let out a scream as he was pushed into a chair in the small lobby. He cradled his arm as he watched the men manhandle Corbett to another chair across from him. Here, he could see his brother's injury for the first time. Blood had soaked through Corbett's left pant leg and had actually dripped down onto his white sneakers.

"Now, remain quiet." Thompson glanced at the window and shook his head. "It's going to be a long night."

XXXX

Outside Gage found himself leaning against an unmarked unit, his arms crossed over his chest. It has been an hour and the officers inside were still holding Walker and Corbett hostage. Thankfully the pharmacy employees were allowed to go, but what they told officers was rather worrisome. Both Walker and Corbett have been shot and were now bleeding rather badly. Let's just hope their injuries weren't too severe, but just in case they had paramedics on call.

Billings approached with a cup of warm coffee in his hands. "Here ya go, it will help you out." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "I hope Walker and Corbett are okay."

"Same here." Gage grimaced as the hot liquid scolding his mouth. "So, what's going on with the family?"

"Nothing much." Billings phone chirped inside his coat pocket. "That's the wife. Probably wondering if I'm okay."

Gage watched his friend leave and didn't think anything of it till he saw Billings quietly arguing into his phone. If it was his wife on the phone then why would he be so angry? His brain began to process this and his eyes widened in realization. No, not Billings. He can't possibly be the rat they've been after.

"Billings!" Gage ran to his friend who quickly flipped his phone closed. "Is everything okay at home? Saw you arguing…."

"Yeah, things are all right." Billings gave Gage a big smile. "She's just really worried."

Gage nodded. "Okay, well if you need anything just let me know."


	27. Chapter 27

Thirty minutes passed ever slowly for Jarod who sat in a chair with his hands cuffed behind him. His left leg throbbed with each beat of his heart and his jeans were disgustingly sticky with blood. Across from him Cordell sat cradling his right arm which had been violently jerked around by May. Hopefully it didn't do a lot of damage to his healing shoulder. Cordell didn't need any of this and if Jarod was free and not injured he would try to take one of the officers down.

May's cell phone chirped and he quickly flipped it open. "Compton, are you in position?" A long pause then a nod from May. "Good, should I open one of the blinds?" He turned to Walker with a smile on his face. "Yes, he's in the lobby. He's taped to a chair unable to go anywhere." Another pause. "Okay, it will be the far window to your right."

Jarod watched May head over to the window he had mentioned to pull the blinds up. Many thoughts went through Jarod's mind, but only one stood out. The snipers who were suppose to protect them from the crooked officers were actually working for them. How high did the corruption really go?

"Do you see him?" Asked May as he signaled to somebody outside. "Okay, Coyote is here as well. He'll distract the Rangers." He smiled. "Okay, make sure you don't miss."

Cordell shook his head. "Why are you all doing this? What have I done to you?"

"It's not what you did, but what you know." May walked up to Cordell and tapped his shaved head. "You have so many secrets locked up inside your damaged brain. Unfortunately we can't risk you remembering anything." He took a deep breath then gave Jarod a big smile. "Say farewell to your brother."

XXXX

It didn't make any sense as to why the officer decided to pull the blinds up, unless…. Gage's eyes snapped around on the lookout for Billings. He found the Ranger talking to a SWAT officer a few cars away, however his attention kept drifting to the open window. There, a very slight, non-descript hand gesture from Billings which to most people would have seemed like a twitch. But to Gage's mind he knew Billings had just signaled to the officers inside.

"The snipers….Oh no!" Gage quickly ran to the SWAT commander who was busy studying blue prints on top of a car. "James, you need to call your snipers back"

James looked up, his face showing his obvious confusion. "What for? The blinds are up now, they can take a shot…."

A loud bang brought the men's attention to the pharmacy where both can see a pane of glass shattering into pieces. Gage's heart sank to his stomach as his eyes desperately searched for any movement inside the building. Who told the sniper to shoot? If not, then he just committed murder in front of dozens of eye witnesses and television reporters.

"Who ordered the snipers to fire!" The SWAT commander spun around to look at his lieutenant. "Did you give the order, Henderson?"

Henderson shook his head. "No sir!" He brought up a pair of binoculars and focused in on the blown out window. "We have movement!"

XXXX

The shot reverberated through the entire building causing Walker's ears to ring. But he was still sitting there and he didn't feel any pain, so where did the sniper bullet go? He slowly opened his good eye to see Corbett staring at him with wide open eyes. Instantly Walker thought the worse and quickly scanned his brother for any new injuries. After seeing none, he glanced around until he spotted Thompson laying on the ground. The officer groaned in pain as blood gushed out from an open wound to his arm.

Corbett blinked several times then shook his head. "What the hell just happened!"

May ran his hands through his hair as he started to pace. "Thompson, you fool! What were you thinking! He had a clear shot of Walker and you've ruined the only chance we had!"

Thompson let out a loud curse as he banged his head against the floor. "I didn't do anything! Compton must have miscalculated!"

"Thought you could trust him!" May began pacing, his hands constantly running through his hair. "Shit!" He glanced at the window then quickly ducked done. "What is Coyote's number? We need to get hold of him." But Thompson didn't respond. "Thompson?"

Walker glanced down at the prone man to see his eyes were wide open in a death stare. The bullet must have cut his main artery, causing him to bleed to death. Wonder what had gone wrong? Was the sniper really a good guy? If so, then there was a good chance that Corbett and him will make it out alive.

XXXX

After the sniper fired his shot many of the law enforcement on scene were now on alert, including Gage. He went from officer to officer hoping to get any information to what had just happened. After several minutes he was about to give up when a man wearing all black and carrying a large rifle approached him.

"Captain Gage, sir." He shifted the rifle to shake Gage's hand. "Sorry for the shot, but I had to show the guys inside I mean business." He moved in a bit closer and pointed his finger at Billings. "He told me where to set up. His name is Coyote." He whispered.

Gage's heart sank with the officer's confirmation and he slowly nodded his head. "Thanks for letting me know." He patted the man's shoulder than went to Billings. "Why?"

Billings shrugged his shoulders. "Money. What else?" He took a deep breath then spun around with his hands behind his back. "You really have no idea how deep Marcellinio goes inside the DPS. Eventually he will kill Walker."

"But why help him?" Gage put cuffs on the Ranger's wrist and spun him back around. "What has Walker done to deserve this?"

Sadness crept across Billings face as he dropped his head. "I didn't expect to become such good friends with him."

"You disgust me." Gage shoved Billings towards a waiting officer. "Get him out of my sight." Once the Ranger was in custody of the DPS Gage grabbed a bullhorn. "We have Coyote! Surrender now while you still can!" His voice echoed through the parking lot, showing his anger.

XXXX

The question if a mole was within in the DPS was confirmed by Gage's voice and Walker noticed a change in May's facial expressions. He glanced at Walker then brought his service revolver up to his temple. Before either brother could stop him he pulled the trigger, instantly killing himself. Walker flinched at the sound of the gunfire which reverberated throughout the pharmacy.

"What the hell!" Corbett let out a few curses as he quickly went to his feet. "That is so…." He glanced at Walker as he side stepped away from the fallen officer. "How long do you think it will take for the officers outside to show up?"

"Not very long." Walker cringed as he began to pull the tape away from his legs, his right shoulder screaming at him to stop. "Just remember what we're trained to do in this situation. Just relax and don't let your emotions get to you."

"I was trained to be the officer on the outside!"

Walker cursed at his brother. "You aren't relaxing!"

Corbett took several deep breaths. "Okay, okay." He began to pace the room, his attention still on the fallen officers. "How's the shoulder, Cord?"

"Hurts like hell." Walker finally got the tape off and slowly stood to his feet. "How's the leg?"

"My leg?" Corbett glanced down to see his jeans, a look of shock spreading across his face. "Wow, I actually forgot I had been shot."

Walker laughed. "Trust me, when the adrenaline dies down, you'll feel it."

"Walker! Corbett!" Shouted Gage through a bullhorn. "Give us a sign that everything is all right!" Corbett quickly took off his white shirt and waved it front of the window. "Okay, I see the white flag! SWAT is moving in!"

Corbett put his shirt back on then made his way towards Walker. "You're bleeding pretty badly." His head snapped around as several men stormed into the building. "About time…."

"Get down on the floor! Both of you!" Shouted the lead officer.

Ever so slowly Walker laid spread eagle on the floor, grimacing as it put pressure on his wound. He felt two hands pat him down nearly screaming as one hit his injury. Lifting his head Walker could see two officer doing the same to Jarod who nearly jumped as one of them smacked his injured leg.

"They're okay!" Gage's voice was loud and very clear signaling his arrival inside the pharmacy. "Can we get some paramedics in here!" He knelt next to Walker with a huge smile on his face. "You seem to have the worse luck, Walker."

"Seems that way, doesn't it." Walker slowly sat up and held his right arm tight to his body. "Take care of Corbett first. The bullet did damage to his leg, it could be serious."

Gage held up his hand as he shook his head. "There's a team helping him right now…."

"Do you seriously have to cut off my pant leg! I could have just taken them off!" Screamed Jarod cutting Gage off. "You better leave my boxers on!"

Walker began to laugh at his brother which brought on more pain to his side. "Just let them do their jobs, Corbett."

Gage gingerly pulled Walker's shirt up grimacing as he did so. "That looks really bad, Walker."

"It's not as bad as it looks." A paramedic team knelt down next to Walker and told him to lay down on his back. After he did so, they cut away his shirt to get a good look at his injury. "How bad is it?"

"Doesn't look too bad, but it looks painful." The paramedic flipped Walker's medical tag around. "When was your last epileptic attack?"

Walker thought it through and realized he hadn't had one today; how strange. "None today. But I could have one at any minute."

"Okay, I'll let the hospital know that." The young male paramedic smiled down at Walker. "Don't worry, you're going to be just fine."

**Two Hours Later**

In the hospital room, Alex wrapped a blanket tighter around her shoulders as she started to shiver once again. Next to her, Walker slept soundly after having his side stitched up. She took hold of his right hand, gave it a kiss then glanced at the other bed. On this bed Corbett slept with his left leg propped up by several pillows. Both the men will make a complete recovery, albeit Corbett's will take a bit longer than Walker's. The bullet had torn a pretty good size chuck out of his leg, which met he had to once again put teaching Angela gymnastics on hold.

A slight tremor in Walker's hand quickly brought her attention back to her husband. She knew this to be a seizure and patiently waited for it to end. Once finished she wrote the time, date and type of seizure in the notebook before she decided to wake up her husband.

"Cordell, can you wake up for me?" Her husband groaned then rolled his head towards her. "Hey, there. Good evening." Walker licked his lips, but didn't wake up. "Angela and Ray will be here in an hour along with John and Michael."

"Oh, my head." Corbett's voice was really groggy and scratchy. "Hey Alex."

Alex kissed her husband on the forehead then made her way to Corbett's bed. "How's the pain?"

"I feel nothing right now, but I think I'm still heavily medicated." He shifted his weight to get a look at Walker. "How is he?"

"Doing good. Doctor Ellis said he should make a full recovery." She sat down on a chair and smiled up at her brother-in-law. "There appears to be no damage done to his shoulder."

Corbett nodded. "Good, good." He took a deep breath then shook his head. "I promised Angela I would start teaching her gymnastics. Don't want to fail her…."

"You didn't. Don't worry." The door opened and in walked Gage with two detectives. Alex quickly got up and went to her close friend whose face showed severe stress. "Gage, I want no lying, who was the man inside?"

Gage nibbled on his bottom lip as his shoulders slumped forward. "It was Billings."

The news hit Alex so hard she had to sit down. "Jimmy's old partner?" Her hand went to her mouth as tears started to fall from her eyes. "Oh my God he was in our house… He knows where we live…our routines…."

Corbett flipped his sheets off and gradually swung his legs to the side. "That rat!" He tried to stand up, but was quickly stopped by Gage. "No! This has to stop now!"

"You can't help in your current condition. Just settle down!" Gage quickly glanced at Walker then back at Corbett. "Right now just be there for your brother. We'll take care of Billings."

XXXX

Inside a motel room, several miles away Marcellinio sat chewing on several sunflower seeds. He couldn't believe two of his men and one was caught. The latter knew enough information to put several city officials behind bars. That man had to die before he told anything to the FBI or to the Rangers.

A soft, rhythmic knock sounded on his room door and Marcellinio quickly got up to see who it was. When he checked through the peephole he saw Lieutenant Jasper Mullins in his street clothes. Marcellinio pulled the door open, waved the officer inside then quickly closed the door.

"Did anybody follow you?"

Mullins shook his head. "I was off today, so I'm not suspected in the case." He shook his head. "Billings got himself caught. Thought he was much better than that."

Marcellinio went to the spare twin bed, sat down then pulled out a large duffel bag form underneath it. "I thought so to. Hopefully you can succeed where others have failed." He unzipped it, pulled out several bricks of twenty dollar bills and placed them next to him.

"You know, it will be extremely hard to execute the man especially with all the guards watching over him." He counted the bricks and whistled. "Two hundred thousand? You really want him dead, don't you?"

"Yes, if he talks, you along with several other officers will be in jail." Marcellinio nodded his head. "Poison his food if you have to, just get the job down."

Mullins pocketed the bills in the small backpack he was carrying then gave Marcellinio a smile. "I won't fail you."


	28. Chapter 28

**Three Days Later**

Life has been relatively normal considering what had happened just a few days ago. Walker sat in the living room watching his son play with some action figures on the area rug. Ray was getting so much bigger and looking more like his grandfather each day. Come next year Ray will be in kindergarten. Hard to imagine his youngest child will be in school, especially since he still remembers when Ray was just a baby.

Ray looked up and gave Walker a big smile. "Daddy! Can you come down here and play?"

"Sure." Walker gingerly moved himself down to the floor and picked up a robot. "What's this guy's name?"

"Megatron! He's the bad guy, I don't think you want to be him." Ray handed Walker a red and blue robot. "That one is the leader of the good guys. You should be him."

Walker beamed. "Okay, I will." He attempted to turn and winced as the motion pulled at his stitches. "Sorry, looks like daddy is stuck in this position."

"I don't mind." Ray picked up a male action figure and put a gun into his hand. "I'm going to capture you, dad!"

For the next thirty minutes Walker sat on the floor playing with his son, happy for the small distraction. Unfortunately, it was now time to do his daily reading and comprehension exercises. But as he attempted to get up the pain in his side intensified and he had to quickly sit back down.

"Daddy, hang on! I get Mommy!" Ray quickly jumped up and ran out of the living room to fetch Alex.

Walker was more embarrassed than ever and had to fight the urge to get up on his own. Soft footsteps came into the living room, signaling Alex's arrival to help him out.

"Cordell, hang on let me help you up." Alex gently took hold of his left arm and pulled making sure to take it easy so as not to pull out any stitches. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just couldn't get up." Walker shook his head as he slumped down onto the couch. "Thanks, Alex."

She patted his knee. "No problem." Angela came into the room followed by Corbett who was using a cane to get around. "Hey there, Angie, Corbett."

Corbett grimaced as he shifted his left leg forward. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, just couldn't get up." Walker quickly noticed that Angela appeared nervous. "Angie, what's the matter?"

She bit her lower lip then glanced up at Corbett. "Dad, I was wondering if I could help you with your lessons?"

Walker slowly stood and went to his daughter with a big smile on his face. "Sure, you can help me. Do you want to get my books?" Angela nodded her head. "Why don't you go get them and I'll meet you in the dining room."

It was strange that his daughter wanted to help him out with comprehension drills, wonder what changed her mind? He glanced at his brother to see Corbett nervously nibbling on his thumbnail. Corbett gave Walker a sheepish smile then a shrug of his shoulders. He then limped over, got a few puzzles from beside the couch and brought them into the dining room.

Angela sat down on a chair with two of Walker's word find books and some pencils. "I like these books, dad." She flipped to the page that was dog eared and leaned her elbows on the table. "How can I help you?"

Walker slowly sat down next to his daughter, took hold of one of the pencils then glanced at the puzzle on the page. "Well, you can help daddy if he gets stuck." He read the word "bagel" allowed then started to search for it. "Did you find it already?"

"Nope, did you?"

"I haven't yet." Because of the damage done to his brain, picking out patterns was difficult to do, especially if it involved words. After three minutes of searching he took a deep breath then tried his search again. "Found it yet?"

"Yep!" Angela glanced up as Corbett sat down across from them. "Want me to show you?"

Walker shook his head. "Nah, just spell it out for me."

Angela leaned over and tapped her pencil on the word "bagel". "B-A-G-E-L."

"Remember, bro look for the first and second letter."

"Got it." Walker circled the word then went on the search for the next one in line. "Thanks." The next word was a bit more difficult and with his daughter's help he was able to find it. "Thank you, Angie."

Having his daughter help him actually made the drills a bit more fun to do. To Angela, finding the words was a game to her which in turn made Walker relax. Hopefully his daughter will help him out more often, he actually enjoyed having her here.

XXXX

Alex leaned against the breakfast bar with a smile on her face. She was so happy to see her daughter getting involved with Walker's comprehension drills. For a long time Angela wanted no involvement with any of the drills, wonder what changed her mind? Whatever happened she could tell it made Walker and Angela both very happy.

Her cell phone began to chirp and she quickly went to pick it up. "Alex Cahill-Walker."

"Hey, Alex it's Gage." Her friend took a deep breath. "Just came out of a eight hour interrogation with Billings. He was only able to mention a few things, but nothing about which officers have turned."

"I still can't believe it was Billings." Alex noticed by mentioning the ex-Ranger's name it brought Corbett and Walker's attention towards her. "What did he say?"

"He told me that he was the one that placed Walker's old badge on the porch and told Marcellinio's men where Walker had parked at the hospital." Gage's voice showed Angela how angry he was at this information. "Billings is the first recorded Texas Ranger to turn. I just hope there isn't more out there."

Alex nodded in agreement. "Just don't get what would have made him betray the Company like that?"

"According to Billings it was money. And quiet a bit of it." He took a deep breath. "We have a team watching over his family who is, right now in protective custody."

"It's a shame that Billings didn't think about his family." Alex shook her head. "Keep us updated, Gage." She flipped the phone closed and sighed heavily. "Susan, Matthew and Jenna are in protective custody right now. Billings hasn't talked yet."

Walker shook his head. "Still can't believe Jimmy's old partner was involved. I wonder for how long?" His attention went back to the word search book before him. "Never would have thought a Texas Ranger would turn on his own men."

The words held a lot of pain and Alex knew what Billings did frustrated many old and new Texas Rangers, including Walker. Wearing the star was a huge honor among Texas law enforcement and now, the very men that were legends in Texas were being scrutinized by their very own peers. How will this effect the Texas Rangers? Will the public still respect them?

She shook away the thoughts and went into the living room to check on her son. Ray had gotten bored with his action figures and was now watching a cartoon show on television. Wonder how all of this will effect him? He's so young to be dealing with so many emotions. Hopefully it won't effect him later on in life.

Ray turned around with a huge smile on his face. "Mommy! When is Uncle Jimmy coming to visit?"

"Later today." Alex bit her lip at just thinking about her friend and the betrayal of his old partner. "After cartoons why don't you go upstairs and clean your room."

**Fort Worth, Texas**

The interview left Gage rather cranky and all he wanted to do was to go home to his family. He hasn't seen his daughter in nearly a day and he knew Lyana must be cranky. And unfortunately, thanks to new developments in the case he may be away from home for a few more days.

He rubbed his hands down his face then leaned backwards to pop his back. How did Trivette or Walker do this all the time? The long hours was driving him mad and he knew once this case was closed he will be taking a much needed vacation.

A light knock came on his door and in walked Captain Jesus Ortega. "Gage, you busy?"

"Nah, Ortega." He waved his friend inside. "Come on in."

Ortega came in with several folders in his hands then closed the door behind him. "What Billings did is causing some serious trust issues within the Company." He threw the folders down onto Gage's desk and sat down in front of him. "That is Billings', Williamson's and two other Texas Rangers that I'm now currently watching, files."

"Williamson? Why him?" Gage flipped Corbett's file open to see several things red flagged. "He's changed his tune and is possibly the best eye witness we have."

"Does it not seem strange to you that he just shows up out of nowhere and is Walker's twin brother?" He shook his head. "And considering we have men on the inside, they could have rigged the test results…."

Gage actually had to laugh at Ortega's paranoia. "You don't know Corbett. And if you did, you will see that he is definitely Walker's twin." He rocked back into his chair and shook his head. "Corbett and Walker went up to the Reservation, saw proof that Walker indeed had a twin at birth…."

"It says here that Williamson is Walker's _identical _twin brother. Emphasis on the word 'identical'." Ortega flipped the folder open to show Gage Corbett's picture. "Sure he looks like Walker, but he has a darker complexion, hair and is even taller…."

"Alex and Walker have looked into that. Identical twins aren't as identical as you may think. That's just a stereotype."

Ortega shook his head. "I'll have to look into that." He took a deep breath then lifted up another folder. "Sergeant Larry Abernathy from Company E."

Gage lifted the folder up and scanned through the file. "You think he's involved?"

"Not sure, but he and Billings were good friends in college. I have Captain Bowen watching him right now…."

The door to the office burst open as a young Ranger came running in. "It's Billings! Something has happened to him!"

"No!" Gage got up and ran out of the office with Ortega right behind him. "I thought somebody was watching him!"

The young Ranger whose name was, Gary Conner frantically shook his head as he led Gage to the stairwell. "We were!"

Gage's cowboy boots thudded against the stairs as he took two at a time. "Who was watching him, Conner!"

"Me and Ranger Hemming, from Company C."

Ortega let out a loud curse. "He was the other Ranger I suspected Gage!"

He moved in front of Gage as the reached the floor with the holding cells. His hands slammed the emergency door open allowing the three men access to the floor. Here, everybody could see a team of paramedics running down the hallway towards the cells with two Texas Rangers and five officers following them.

When Gage finally reached Billings' cell he noticed the paramedic team was already hard at work on trying to save him. They did several chest compressions, checked for a pulse then would repeat the process over and over again. After several attempts with the defibrillator paddles it was finally called; Billings was dead.

Gage let out a curse as he rubbed his hands down his face. "This is getting way out of hand." He turned to Ortega. "I'm afraid the FBI needs to start background checks on all Texas Rangers."

"Right, I'll make the call." He patted Gage's shoulder. "Secure the scene. I want to make sure that any evidence, stays at the scene. Don't let anybody touch Billings."

_XXXX_

_I did research on twins and it is true that identical twins can look different. If anybody wants, I can send them link. :)_


	29. Chapter 29

**Walker Ranch - Later That Night**

As John walked into the house he knew something had to have happened and thinking it might be his dad he quickly rushed into the living room. Sitting on the sofa was his dad with Uncle Corbett right next to him talking to somebody in front of them. John shifted his weight to see a man in a suit and tie on the rocker by the door. Something had to have happened, but what?

"John, come on in!" His dad waved him forward with a smile on his face. "This is Agent Knowles from the FBI."

Corbett's jaw flexed showing his frustration. "He wants to know about me."

John shook his head. "I don't understand, what happened? Why is the FBI investigating you, Uncle Corbett?"

Agent Knowles held his hand up then sighed heavily. "Billings was killed in his cell, possibly from another Texas Ranger. We need to make sure that anybody who has contact with your father has a clean background." He leaned forward, got a pad of paper and pencil from the coffee table then motioned for John to sit down. "How long have you known Mr. Williamson?"

"It's Walker now…." His dad held his hand up to stop his brother from arguing. "What? One month ago I got my name changed, remember? All of us did." He waved towards John with a shake of his head. "It's Corbett Ezekiel Walker now. Get it straight."

John ignored his uncle's outburst to talk to the agent. "I have known him well over six months. He's become part of our family and I know my dad along with Alex trust him dearly." John shook his head. "Who killed Billings?"

"I can't give you a name." Knowles took a deep breath and jotted down the information given to him by John. "Where is your brother?"

"Michael? He's on duty right now, won't get off till midnight." His voice faded as Michael came into the house looking all frazzled. "Mike!"

Michael snapped his head towards John visibly relaxing. "I got called at work saying that I needed to come to the ranch house ASAP. I'm glad to see it wasn't an emergency." He closed the door behind him then took a look around. "Where is Ray and Angie?"

"At an unknown location right now. I'm sorry, but we can't say." Alex's voice held a lot of emotional pain as she spoke. "Unfortunately we just don't know who to trust anymore." Her voice faded as his dad started to mumble incoherently while attempting to stand up. "Cordell, settle down."

Knowles quickly glanced around obviously confused as to what was going on. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

His dad eventually got to his feet, but John could see he was very unsteady. John saw his dad's knees buckle and swiftly got up to help lay him down on the ground. It always tore at his heart when his dad had a seizure, especially this type. Thankfully he started to calm down enough for Corbett to get him more comfortable on the floor.

Corbett knelt next to Walker, his face showing deep concern for his brother. "Bro, you just had a seizure." He glanced up at John and Michael. "Help me get Cordell into the guest bedroom."

"Sure, sure." John gently pulled on his father's right arm while Michael took hold of his left. As they did so dad began to fight them. "Dad, just take it easy."

"No…I'm fine…." His dad's voice was slightly slurred as he continued to mumble.

Michael shook his head. "I hate when he has these seizures. The hands shaking I can handle, but this…." His voice faded away as he cleared his throat. "Let's go dad, you can rest in the room."

**XXXX**

As Walker's sons and brother helped him into the room, Alex went to get a notebook she kept in the dining room. She jotted down the time, duration of seizure and what type before returning back to the living room. Here, she spotted Knowles taking down his own notes with a grimace across his face.

Knowles glanced up then back down at his notebook. "What happened?"

"It was a seizure." Alex's voice showed her frustration. "It has nothing to do with Corbett." She sat down in front of the agent as Michael came out of the guest bedroom. "Because of his brain injury, Cordell suffers from three major types of seizures. The most common is the simple partial seizures then on rare occasions complex partial seizures and tonic-clonic or grand mal. What you saw just now was a complex partial, not sure what triggers them, but I really don't like them."

"I see…." Knowles took a deep breath. "And this happens daily?"

Anger rose inside Alex and she quickly stood to her feet. "I've had enough, Agent Knowles. Right now we have four Rangers along with police officers watching over the ranch house. If you don't have any more important questions to ask, then leave."

Michael went to Alex's side with a smile, so similar to Walker's on his face. "If I were you, I would listen to the lady."

"Fine, fine." Knowles stood, put his notebook back in his suit coat then took out his car keys. "I'll be back tomorrow."

When the agent left, Michael let out a curse then slumped back onto the couch. "Most people don't understand dad's seizures. They always think the body has to shake, just wish more people thought differently." He glanced over as Corbett and John came out of the guest room, both with long faces. "How is dad?"

John nodded. "Resting for now, not exactly tired just out of it." He took a quick look around then let out a chuckle so similar to Walker's it caused a shiver to trace down Alex's spine. "I can see somebody chased off that agent."

Alex shook her head. "I'm really starting to hate FBI agents." She took a deep breath, stood up then made her way to the guest bedroom. "You three can get something to eat. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."

She made her way into the guest bedroom to see her husband laying on his back, hands laced across his chest. It was so reassuring to not see the casts or sling on his arm, it showed everybody he was finally on the road to healing. Slowly she sat down next to him, carefully taking his right hand into hers and giving it a squeeze.

Walker rolled his head, his one good eye slightly glazed over. "What happened? Is everything all right? My sons…."

"Everybody is okay, just rest cowboy." She ran his hands across his shaved scalp. "I bet your tired, why don't you sleep."

"I'm tired of sleeping all the time…." His voice faded as he attempted to get up from the bed. "Something isn't right. Help me up, Alex."

Alex shook her head, but then a strange, fluttering sensation inside her stomach had her heart racing. She swallowed hard then glanced back to see Corbett had made his way back to the guest bedroom, his face showing deep concern. It was a look she had seen in Walker's face numerous times when his "Cherokee Sense" kicked in. Sometimes it amazed Alex on how similar Walker and Corbett really were.

Corbett gingerly made his way into the room, his left leg barely being able to get an inch off the ground. "Something isn't right, Cord. It's too quiet, even the DPS officer in the living room has his hand on his gun."

Walker swallowed hard then attempted to get up again. "The kids…"

"Safe and secure, bro. John and Mike are still here though." Corbett tried to hide a grimace as he moved forward. "You just rest, Cord. If you keep moving, you'll pull out your stitches."

Alex could see her husband trying desperately to keep alert, but after several more seconds of trying he fell into a deep sleep. Unfortunately in about an hour she will have to wake up Walker so he can take his nightly medications. Thankfully he has been doing better and only needed to take a once daily anti-depressant which so far seems to be working.

The DPS officer stepped into the room with a shake of his head. "Ranger Holston just did a quick check and so far nothing out of the ordinary."

"Which means we could be overreacting." Corbett nodded. "I'll stay here with Cordell. John and Mike, why don't you stay here for the night."

**The Next Morning**

When Walker awoke he wasn't exactly too sure what had happened to him or where he was. He slowly sat up, cringing as it caused a stabbing pain in his side. Carefully he traced his tongue around his month and was happy when he felt no recent injuries. Usually during a grand-mal seizure he would bite his tongue or the lining in his cheeks leaving painful cuts that would heal into thick scars.

The sun was barely peeking through the windows, but he could make out a form sleeping on the floor next to him. He rubbed his face and was surprised to feel his eye patch had been taking off. If he really wanted to he could have another surgery to the eye orbit, but right now he has other things to worry about.

"Hey Cord, how's it going?" Corbett sat up and let out a loud yawn. "Get any sleep?"

"Yeah, I did actually." Walker glanced at his brother to see him running his hand through his Mohawk. "You ever going to shave that?"

Corbett shook his head. "Nah, it's really growing on me."

"You know, the Cherokee don't really have Mohawks." Walker gave his brother a wink then glanced at the clock. "It's only six o'clock. You should get back to sleep."

"Nah, I've been sleeping off and on through the night." He gradually stood and grabbed a bottle of water from on top of the dresser. "Here ya go, take a drink."

Walker did just that, happy to quench his dry mouth. "What happened last night?"

"You suffered a complex partial seizure. You started mumbling and you tried to get up numerous times to check the ranch out." He saw Walker cringe and smiled. "Don't worry, nothing happened and everybody is safe."

Corbett limped towards the rocker chair then slumped down. "How's the side?"

"Good. How's the leg?" Corbett laughed then gave Walker a shrug. "Are my kids here?"

"Ray and Angie are still at a secure location. Mike and John are sleeping in the living room." Corbett took a deep breath. "Cord, how do you feel about all this? From what you've told me, the Rangers was your life…."

"It sickens me that a Ranger would betray his own men." Walker shook his head, his heart aching once again at what Billings had done to the Company. "Never would have thought something like this could happen…." A noise outside from the living room drew both the men's attention to the door. "What the hell is happening?"

Corbett slowly went to the door, but before he got it to open a man in a ski mask burst through it. "Oh, what now!"

The ski mask man waved a gun at Walker and Corbett as barreled his way past Corbett. "On the ground now!"

"I can't believe this is happening again!" Corbett took his cane and shoved it straight into the attacker's stomach. The man doubled over in pain allowing Corbett to slam the cane into his face. "I'm sick and tired of your people trying to kill us! This is getting very old, very fast!"

Walker gradually got up, his senses now heightened so much he could actually hear John and Michael arguing with somebody in the living room. There was a loud commotion, a thud then another man appeared in the doorway, this one much bigger than the last.

"Walker! Man, you are so pathetic looking!" This man laughed as he shoved Corbett right in the shoulder. "Both of you kneel on the floor right now."

"What about my sons? Are they okay?" Walker straightened his shoulders and went up to the second man. He looked straight into the man's dark, green eyes and shook his head. "Not you, Dobney. Why?"

Dobney shook his head as an evil grin spread across his face. "The Rangers weren't paying me enough." He tore off his ski mask then waved the gun once more at him and Corbett. "Now, kneel or my men will kill your sons."

Corbett waved at his left leg. "Well, I can't do that now because one of your men already tried to kill ME!" Walker could see the back of Corbett's neck turning deep pink and knew he was witnessing his brother's unbridled temper for the first time. "Now listen here, _Dobney_ you are a disgrace to the badge! You should have never have called yourself a Texas Ranger!" He spat on Dobney's cowboy boots. "Filthy traitor."

The ski mask man smirked then violently kicked Corbett in the left leg sending him to the ground. "How does that feel!"

"Makes me want to kick your ass if I could!" Corbett writhed on the floor in obvious pain. "Man you are so lucky right now that I can't move!"

Walker knelt next to Corbett then looked up at Dobney. "Where are the officers?"

"Oh, those guys?" Dobney gave Walker a shrug. "Two of them are dead, itchy trigger finger. As for the rest, they are either hurt or knocked out."

"You son of a…."

Walker smacked his brother on the head to get him to shut up. "That mouth of yours is going to get us into trouble!" For a brief moment he felt guilty for hitting his brother. "I'm sorry…Just try to relax."

Dobney took hold of Walker as the ski mask men moved in behind Corbett. The man placed his pistol just inches away from Corbett's scalp then pulled the trigger.

"NO! Not again!" Walker pulled at the man's grip on his arms. "Corbett!"


	30. Chapter 30

**Not really sure about this chapter. I may rewrite it. :( Just not sure where to take this story anymore. I know I'm close to wrapping it up though. Any ideas, let me know. :)**

After the man fired his weapon Corbett felt a sharp stab to the back of his head and knew he had just been shot. He could hear his brother yelling out his name, Cordell's voice showing an anguish he has never heard before. If he didn't act soon, the men will kill his brother and possibly his nephews as well. Corbett let out a loud grunt then started to pray for strength and guidance. Right now he needed all the help he could muster.

"How are you even still alive!" Shouted the ski mask men from behind Corbett.

Corbett gently touched the back of his head, grimacing as his fingers found the bullet hole. How the hell _was _he alive? He opened his eyes to see the hardwood floor before him and he knew what he saw wasn't an illusion. For some reason the bullet didn't do much damage and he never once lost consciousness.

"Corbett! Talk to me!" Cordell pleaded. "Are you okay?"

His brother's voice cut through the fog and caused his head to ache even more. He waited for the throbbing to ebb away before he finally got to his knees. After several deep breaths he gradually got to his feet, surprised to feel only a slight throb in his leg.

"Corbett?" Cordell's voice showed his bewilderment and shock. "You were shot…."

Corbett glanced down to see his brother was still on the ground, his one good eye showing deep emotional pain. His attention then went to Dobney to see the man looking at him with very large eyes. Behind Dobney he spotted movement which led him to believe there was more attackers in the living room. However, within seconds Michael appeared in the doorway with John next to him, both with pistols in their hands.

Michael slowly crept into the room, his attention solely on Dobney while John kept an eye on the ski mask man. "Put your weapons down, nice and slowly." When Dobney and the man obeyed Cordell swiftly grabbed their weapons and ejected the clips. "Now, lay down on the ground, hands on your heads."

Cordell threw the guns on the bed and quickly went to Corbett. "Corbett, you okay?" He grimaced as he gently checked out the wound. "You should lay down. That bullet could have bounced around."

"I'm fine." Corbett shook his head at Dobney. "Why? What is Marcellinio offering that the Rangers are not?"

Dobney smirked. "It's all about the money." He lifted his head up so he can look at Cordell. "You have a five million dollar bounty on your head." He took a deep breath then rested his forehead against the wood floor. "They will never stop, Walker. Not when Marcellinio is in charge. Cut off the head and you kill the body."

**XXXX**

Two blocks away Alex got that strange feeling once again in her stomach and quickly turned her car around. She had gone out to get more pancake mix knowing Corbett, John and Mike could eat several stacks on their own, but she began to wonder if that was a good idea. Hopefully when she got back to the ranch everything would be all right.

She knew she was breaking some road laws, but right now the only thing on her mind was her husband and family. As she got closer to the ranch her worse fears were answered. Lining the road and leading up to the house was a dozen squad cars along with three ambulances.

As her heart began to race Alex quickly got out of the car and ran towards the police line which was guarded by several officers. One smiled at her, lifted the yellow tape and waved her under. When she lifted her head up she quickly spotted Walker, John, Michael and Corbett sitting on the steps, the latter three with ice packs against the back of their heads.

"Hey." All four men said in unison.

"Is everything all right?"

Walker nodded his head. "Yeah, except Corbett will need to go to the hospital…."

"I told you I was fine!" He cringed as he pulled the pack away from his head and Alex could see it was stained with blood. "Just have a headache."

"Yeah, but you could have a serious head injury, Uncle Corbett." Said John, worry obvious in his voice. "I mean you were shot execution style."

This news got Alex heart to skip a beat and her mouth to fall open. "What!?"

Walker slowly stood, gripping his side as he did so. "It's okay, Alex. Apparently he has a harder head than I do."

A paramedic ran up to Corbett who quickly tried to wave him away. "Sir, please just go to the hospital." He pleaded. "We don't know where that bullet went to."

Corbett grumbled then nodded his head. "Fine, let's go."

Alex couldn't believe what John had said, it didn't seem humanly possibly that Corbett could be so alert after being shot in the head. Maybe it was just a graze and not really an actual bullet wound. After all there has been numerous times when Walker had been "shot" but it turned out to only be a very mild injury.

She turned back to Walker to see him actually joking with Michael. "Are you not even worried about your brother?"

Walker gave her a shrug. "Told ya, he has a hard head, Alex. Don't worry, he'll be fine."

**An Hour Later**

The hospital was eerily quiet and for some strange reason it made Corbett nervous. He tapped his fingers against his chest wishing he could get out of here and back with Cordell. Unfortunately he was made to wait for his CT scan results to make sure there was no damage to his brain. So far it seems the bullet had only cracked Corbett's skull and he'll actually be able to walk out of here. How did he fair so well when his brother has not?

A doctor walked through the curtain with a smile on his face. "Chest x-rays proved negative." He made his way towards Corbett's bed with a shake of his head. "Are you sure you were shot?"

Corbett quickly nodded his head. "Yes, my brother even saw the man shoot me."

"Right, well CT scans are clear." He shook his head with a smile on his face. "You're free to go, Mr. Walker. If you have any nausea, dizzy spells or if the pain becomes more severe come in immediately." He helped Corbett to sit up and handed him an ice pack, two prescriptions and an instruction sheet. "The prescriptions are for an antibiotic and for the pain. I want you to stay with someone for at least a day so they can keep an eye on you in case anything was to happen."

"Thanks doc." Cordell appeared with Corbett's shoes and clothes in his hands. "Hey Cord."

Cordell gave him his usual lopsided smile. "You'll be staying with us for a few days."

"Thanks." Corbett gradually swung his left leg over the bed and started to put his clothes on. "Is Dobney and his buddy safely locked up?"

His brother nodded. "Yeah, we have several officers and Rangers guarding them."

Trivette came through the curtain next with a shake of his head. "And I thought Walker had a hard head." He chuckled. "Both of you stumping doctors left and right."

Corbett smiled big at his brother. "And some say we aren't twins." He gradually put his pants on then stood to his feet. "Have you got anything from Dobney?"

"Not yet, but we're hoping he'll break soon." He rested his hands on his hips and shook his head. "Gage has his hands full right now. Let's just hope the Rangers can pull through this and become even stronger…." He glanced at Walker then patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Walker. We'll find Marcellinio and all the lawmen working for him then make sure they get the proper punishment for what they did."

**Somewhere in Mexico**

The call caused Marcellinio to throw his cell phone against the wall in anger and he started to pace his hotel room. How could Williamson survive a gun shot to the head? He ran his hand through his buzzed hair then snatched up a packet of sunflower seeds. Now, more than ever he wanted a smoke, but he vowed never to touch a cancer stick again after what happened to his uncle.

He spit out the shells then went to the dresser to pick up his spare phone. "Can't believe Williamson survived." He didn't want to make this call, but he had no choice.

"Gibson, here."

"Gibson, give the call out. It's best we scatter. I'll call when the right time has come."

His best man didn't argue back, instead he agreed and hung up the phone. From here on out Marcellinio will be living somewhere in Mexico with a new name and hopefully even a new look. The Walker family will be able to live a normal life, at least for awhile. He will wait for them to put their guard down before he will attack again.

Authors Note: Corbett's injury was actually inspried by a convience store clerk who was shot in the head, but survived. Saw it on the television show: "Bronx 911" on the Discovery Channel.


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note = Thanks to all who posted comments on this story. :D Sorry it's been awhile, but hopefully this last chapter is good enough for ya'll. Merry Christmas!**

**One Year Later**

The cool winter air didn't phase Walker one bit as he made his way across the frost covered grass. In the last year he has adapted very well with his current disability and now spent a few hours a day sculpting. He didn't know how the artistic gift suddenly came up, but it saved his sanity. Instead of venting on his family or friends he would put his energy in sculpting wild animals.

Once he got into the barn he checked on his horses then made his way up to the loft. Here, he turned on several lights before stepping up to his workstation. Scattered on the wooden surface was various tools and dried pieces of clay. He took a deep breath, sat down on a stool then opened up a tub. After grabbing a large piece of clay he closed the lid and began to knead it like dough.

As of late there has been a small interest from schools and libraries for his sculptures. In fact one school actually commissioned Walker to make a wolf to display in their foyer. They gave him a rough idea, but it was the first time that he actually had to work with an image in his head.

He began to form the main body of the wolf knowing the sculpture had to be of a good size, the biggest he has made thus far. Once he had the rough outline done, he began to figure out the wolf's stance. The library wanted the wolf in a stalking position which was unique. It meant that Walker will have to figure out what the base would be like.

A soft creak told him he was getting a visitor to his little studio and a weird feeling told him it was his brother. It was strange how he and Corbett have started to get the twin sense. He had heard Michael and John talking about it, but Walker never quite understood what they meant till now.

"Hey Corbett." He stopped working on the legs for a moment to make a mock-up base out of cardboard. "What's going on?"

"Got a few pictures to show ya." Corbett went to the workbench and put down a small stack of photos. "There are ten buildings that all hold promise. Now, I actually have to choose one." He shook his head. "How do you know it was me?"

Walker laughed. "Call it a twin thing." He glanced up at his brother with a smile. "Let me see what you have here." He wiped his hands on a moist towel before he picked up the pictures. "Have you figured out a name for the gym yet?"

Corbett gave a shrug as he sat down next to Walker. "Not really sure. Thinking of naming it; 'Firewalker Gymnastics.'" He began to play with a small piece of clay as he nervously bounced his foot. "What do you think?"

Walker put down a photo and stabbed it with his finger. "I really like this place."

"I was actually leaning towards that one as well." He pointed to the large ball of clay that sat in front of Walker. "Is that for the library?"

"Yeah, they want it to be of a good size." He shook his head. "It'll be the largest sculpture that I've made. Hopefully I don't screw it up."

Corbett chuckled. "I have faith in you." He leaned back and picked up a small eagle statue Walker had been working on for the last week. "I'm amazed on how quickly you've picked up sculpting." He put the eagle down then gave Walker's left shoulder a good pat. "When do you want to go to the gym?"

Walker shook his head. "Don't you have a job?" He could feel his brother's ego deflating and he quickly turned to look at Corbett. "Sorry, that was a bit harsh."

"No, don't worry about it." Corbett gave Walker's left shoulder a reassuring rub. "Do you want me to leave?"

"Nah, you can stay." Walker began sculpting once again this time with a smile on his face. "I'll go to the gym with ya in a bit. I just need to get the basic shape down." Walker's watch began to beep signaling the time for him to do his daily reading exercises. He let out a grumble, turned off the alarm then continued on his work. "What are your plans for today?"

Corbett shrugged. "Not really sure. What are you doing?"

"Need to work on this sculpture." Walker's fingers began to shape the wolf's legs onto the cardboard base. "I'll work out with you in two hours."

As his brother worked on the statue Corbett made his way down the stairs and into the barn. After checking the horses he made his way back to the house hoping he can find something to eat. While he made his way across the vast yard his eyes scanned the area. Even though Marcellinio has disappeared for a year, Corbett still feared he will show up.

Corbett went through the backdoor and made a beeline straight to the refrigerator. After a quick search he found a bagel, some ham and a slice of a cheese. He made himself a quick sandwich before heading into the living room. All around him were signs of children living at the house and he had to move a few books aside to sit on the couch.

He rested his feet on the coffee table then picked up the television remote. When he pushed the power button a cartoon came on and he quickly flipped to the news. He was about to turn to another channel when something caught his eye.

On a national news station they were talking about Cordell's attack and how it has brought a lot of attention to law enforcement corruption. Apparently a department in Arizona just busted six officers for lying in testimonies and stealing evidence. Wonder how big of an impact Cordell actually had, unwillingly to the Nation's trust in law enforcement?

He shook his head then turned the television off knowing if he watched anymore news his anger would flare up. Why did everybody think Cordell was useless? Is it because of his mental disabilities? If so, people need to be schooled on brain injuries and how they can effect those that have them. Maybe he could do something about that, with his new gym.

"That's it!" Corbett chuckled as the ideas began to race through his mind. "It's been right there all along!"

"What's been right there?" Corbett quickly spun around to see Cordell in the dining room holding a towel tightly against his right hand. "What are you ranting about now?"

"Cordell, what happened!" Corbett ran up to his brother, his heart dropping into his stomach. "Do you need stitches?"

Cordell chuckled. "Nah, it's really just a small cut." He pulled the towel away to show Corbett a clean cut across his palm. "It's a bleeder though."

"Glad to see it's not a big deal." Corbett laughed as he got the first aid kit out of the pantry. "So, I think I've finally decided on what I will do for my gym."

"Really? What are your plans?"

"Well, I'll still have the gymnastics part, but I will also have a special needs program for those with head injuries." He leaned against the counter and watched as Cordell rinsed the blood off of his hand. "What do you think?"

His brother nodded as he gingerly dabbed his palm with a paper towel. "Sounds like a good idea, but are you patient enough to work…." He began to laugh as he turned towards Corbett. "What are your ideas?"

Corbett shrugged. "Well, I'll have to get a special business license and I'll have to hire nurses, but I was thinking of doing something simple." He gave Cordell a huge smile as he pointed a finger at him. "A martial arts program and you can help."

"Really? Why?" Cordell wrapped a piece of gauze around his hand then tied it off with his teeth. "What can I do?"

"You can help me by being an instructor." Cordell shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. "Come on! You're an excellent teacher!"

"For inner-city kids!" Cordell went over and gave Corbett's shoulder a pat. "Thanks for the offer though." He went into the living room, got a book from a basket then sat down on the couch. "But if you really need the help, I might be able to do something." He took a deep breath, opened the book then began to read.

For the last year, all thanks to Corbett, Walker's confidence in reading has improved and he no longer needed help. He slowly read the page and when he got stuck on a word he sounded it out. It usually takes him about thirty minutes to read ten pages, but it helped keep his mind sharp.

After several minutes he decided to put the book down to see that Corbett had disappeared. Wonder where his brother went to? He slowly stood up, went to the kitchen and saw Corbett quietly talking on his cell phone.

Corbett nodded his head then ended his conversation. "That was Doctor Rojas, from a clinic in California. He wanted to know if we were available for an identical twin study."

"Really? Did he say why?"

"Yeah, it's because we're identical but are so different." Corbett gave Walker a shrug. "Could be interesting and a fun little trip."

"Did you explain to him about my disability?"

"Sure did and that intrigued him more." Corbett smiled. "I think we should do this study." He went to Walker and nudged him in the ribs. "There will also be a television show there doing a documentary on the different ways identicals are so different."

Walker shook his head. "I'm not sure. Is the doc sending you some paperwork?"

"Yep, should get the info in a few days." Corbett took a deep breath then smiled at Walker. "Lets get going to the gym. I have a few techniques to show ya."

**Company B Gym - One Hour Later**

The small workout center was rather quiet as Walker made his way to the boxing ring where Corbett was already waiting for him. His brother leaned against the ropes then held them open to allow Walker to roll into the ring. Even though Walker's right shoulder was still a little stiff, on a good day he was able to workout with Corbett.

Corbett sat down on the ring's floor and began to stretch out his legs. "So, you ready to kick my butt once again, Cordell?"

"Hey Walker bros!" Gage ran up to the boxing ring with a huge smile on his face. "Nice to see ya two here."

"Gage, after I spar with Cordell for a bit you want to have a shot?" Said Corbett as he started to stretch out his calves. "It's been awhile since we've sparred."

"Sure, I'm game." Gage leaned against the ropes then glanced over his shoulder. "So, Walker have you told Alex that you've been sparring with Corbett?"

Walker shook his head. "Nope, she just thinks we're doing hand-eye coordination drills." He glanced up to see a look of shock on Corbett's face. "Don't worry, I've got an approval from all my docs. As long as you don't hit me in the head and I wear the boxing helmet they'll allow me to spar."

"But I've hit you a few times…."

"You've slapped me, there's a difference." Walker chuckled as he got up to start stretching out his arms. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Corbett threw the boxing helmet at Walker then shook his head. "You're going to get me in trouble with Alex."

"That is if she knows." Walker rotated his right shoulder to see how stiff it was. "And so far she hasn't found out yet." He put the helmet on making sure it was secured tightly to his head. "Okay, so is this going to be three minute rounds?"

"Cordell Walker!" Walker cringed at hearing his wife's voice. "What do you think you're doing? And Corbett, I thought you were smarter than this!"

Gage giggled. "Busted."

Walker went up to the ropes and gave his wife a smile. "Alex, Doctor Hayden said it was okay as long as I'm careful."

Alex shook her head as she approached the boxing ring. "You, careful?"

Walker gave Alex his trademark wink, put his mouthpiece in then touched gloves with Corbett. The brothers held their hands up and started to circle each other. Alex watched as Walker threw a punch with his left hand which Corbett easily blocked. Corbett then came in with a round kick that connected with Walker's ribs. This made Alex cringe, but she kept her eyes open to see how Walker did during the sparring session.

"No need to worry, Alex." Gage said as he turned towards her. "Though Walker isn't as quick as he use to be, he can handle himself."

Alex brought her attention back to the men fighting in the ring to see Walker dodging a kick before throwing one of his own. It warmed her heart to see her husband doing something he loved, but it also worried her. If Walker's head got hit the wrong way it could do some serious damage to his brain.

She began chewing on her bottom lip then felt a reassuring hand on hers. Should she stop the sparring match? Would Walker get angry if she did so? So far he was able to control his anger outbursts and only had a few episodes in the last year. And maybe it's because of this right here.

"Don't worry, they're not even going full speed." It was Sydney. "Walker will be fine."

Gage chuckled. "Oh trust me, Alex. Corbett is going pretty light."

After several minutes of sparring Corbett eventually stopped the match and waved for Gage to climb into the ring. Alex moved to the side to allow her husband room to get down next to her. He wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulder then pulled her into a hug.

She playfully punched him in the ribs and he reacted as though it hurt. This made her slap Walker a bit harder which she quickly apologized for as he started to laugh.

"See Alex, I'm fine." He gave her a kiss on the forehead then took off his helmet. "Corbett is very easy on me."

Alex looked into his one blue eye to see the old twinkle that has been missing for so many years. "Guess I can allow you to do this as long as you're very careful."

"Uncle!" Shouted Gage from behind them. "Walker! Help!"

Alex and Walker both turned to the ring to see Corbett had Gage's left arm behind his back and his right somehow above his head. Eventually Corbett did let go and as he did he gave Gage's head a hearty slap.

"Remember, to side step when I attack you like that." Corbett got back into his fighting stance, one very similar to Walker's and began to bounce on the balls of his feet. "Now, lets try this again."

Gage came after Corbett once more and within seconds the latter had the former in an arm bar. This got everybody to laugh hysterically while Corbett brought Gage to the ground. Alex watched the two friends spar, her mind going back to the days when it was Walker in the ring.

A huge smile spread across Walker's face. "It seems things are finally getting back to normal, Alex." He nodded his head as he gave her another kiss. "Let's just hope they stay that way."


End file.
